Petra Kvitova takes on Marion Bartoli in the opening rubber of the Hopman Cup final between the Czech Republic and France.
This time last year, Kvitova made a superb start to 2011 winning the Brisbane title and she's enjoyed another emphatic beginning to the season this week in Perth winning all three of her singles matches. She began the week with an impressive 6-4, 6-2 win against the tricky Tsvetana Pironkova before hammering Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-2, 6-1. And then most interestingly of all, she saw off world number one Caroline Wozniacki 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4.
"I'm really happy that I won because it was a little test of how we are prepared for the Aussie Open," Kvitova said after her win. "Caroline played really well. It was a close match, but every match is different and it is not the Aussie Open. I understand that people like seeing numbers one and two in the world playing and I hope it was a good match for them to watch."
Bartoli has been in similarly hot form all week. She was unlucky to lose her opener against Li Na, a close three setter but she then sent shockwaves through the tournament with a 6-0, 6-0 over poor all Jarmila Gajdosova before then outplaying Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2, 6-4.
She's playing well enough to give Kvitova a real test and she has the added advantage of knowing she's won both their previous matches.
Prediction: Bartoli to pull off the upset in three.
