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Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova in action during the final match against Estonia's Anett Kontaveit on April 28, 2019.KAI PFAFFENBACH/Reuters

Defending champion Petra Kvitova defeated Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 7-6 (5) to reach the third round of the Madrid Open on Monday.

The second-seeded Czech outlasted Mladenovic by winning the last three points in the tiebreaker to close out the match in nearly two hours.

Kvitova, seeking her fourth Madrid Open title, was in control until losing her serve midway through the second set, letting the French qualifier back into the match.

Kvitova had seven aces at the “Magic Box” centre court en route to her eighth straight win in Madrid. She is the most successful women’s player in the tournament with 28 wins and six losses. Her other titles in the Spanish capital came in 2011 and 2015.

Mladenovic was the runner-up in Madrid in 2017.

Kvitova will next face wild card Sorana Cirstea or former No. 4 Caroline Garcia.

In other second-round matches, seventh-seeded Kiki Bertens defeated Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-3 to stay on track to make it to her second straight final in Madrid, while eighth-seeded Sloane Stephens got past Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

On the men’s side, Marin Cilic beat Martin Klizan 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (0), while Karen Khachanov defeated Jaume Munar 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3.

Three Americans advanced to the second round: Frances Tiafoe beat Nikoloz Basilashvili in three sets, Taylor Fritz got past Grigor Dimitrov in two tie-breakers, and Reilly Opelka defeated Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Federer happy to return to clay after three-year hiatus

Former world number one Roger Federer said he was glad he made the decision to return to clay courts as he prepares for the Madrid Open this week, three years after his last match on the surface.

Federer had skipped the clay-court season the past two years since last competing in Rome in May, 2016, but confirmed his participation for the tournament in Madrid earlier this year.

“I’m happy that the decision I took last December, when I started feeling like I definitely want to play on the clay, was the right one,” Federer, 37, told reporters.

“I haven’t looked back yet during the clay court build-up, thinking, ‘Ah, maybe I shouldn’t have.’ I’m happy I’m here. I’m happy I am on the surface.

“It takes some time getting used to how to construct the points a little bit more because there is more baseline [play], a possibility to play with more angles and height. It’s been interesting and fun, but not so challenging.”

Federer, who recently won his 101st singles title in Miami, is the tournament’s fourth seed behind world number one Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev.

However, the 20-times Grand Slam singles champion said he was not trying to burden himself with expectations when he steps out on court at the Caja Magica.

“It will be interesting to see how this tournament goes,” Federer added. “I do not have high expectations in some ways.

“But at the same time I also know that things are possible. Madrid always plays fast with the altitude here. I’m intrigued to find out.”

Having received a bye to the second round, Federer will play France’s Richard Gasquet, who beat Spanish teenager Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-5, 7-6 (5).

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