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Live Commentary: Petra Kvitova vs. Kirsten Flipkens - as it happened

Read how unheralded Belgian Kirsten Flipkens knocked out the only remaining Wimbledon champion in the women's draw - Petra Kvitova - this evening.
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Heading into today's quarter-final, Petra Kvitova was the only former Wimbledon champion left in the women's draw at SW19.

We now know that there will be a brand new name on the Venus Rosewater Dish after Kirsten Flipkens sent 2011 champion Kvitova home in three sets.

Read how it all unfolded under the roof on Centre Court in our game-by-game updates below.


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Good afternoon! It's been a slow day at SW19 so far but, with the roof on Centre Court, things are set to heat up as Kvitova and Flipkens meet.

As mentioned above, Kvitova is the only women's Wimbledon winner left in the draw. Who would have thought that when the tournament started a little over a week ago?!

H2H: These two have met twice before and they're at one win apiece. The last meeting earlier this year in Miami was won by Flipkens, who is slight underdog today.

Chair umpire Juan Zhang says that Flipkens won the toss and chose to serve. Here we go...

First point to Flipkens as Kvitova hits long but then the Belgian double faults and there's clearly a bit of nerves from the 20th seed.

Flipkens recovers from that double to hold to 30. Now over to Kvitova to get on the board.

She manages to do so, also holding to 30. Flipkens produced a sublime forehand pass in the middle of the game but couldn't earn a break point.

Wow, what a shot to hold serve from Flipkens! At 40-15 Kvitova bullets a crosscourt backhand that pulls the Belgian wide but she hits a clean winner over the highest part of the net off the forehand. Superb!

UPDATE: Play is still yet to resume on the outside courts because of rain and @Wimbledon have just released another update on Twitter: "Rain expected to continue at #Wimbledon for another half an hour. Once it stops the courts will be inspected & the covers will come off."

We're at deuce for the first time in the match as Kvitova approaches the net with a backhand but hits it a little too flat and it goes long.

Kvitova has now spurned three chances to close out this game as Flipkens hangs on and looks to open up break point.

She can't though and Kvitova keeps her serve at the fifth time of asking by putting away a short backhand.

Flipkens opens the fifth game well to move 30-0 ahead but Kvitova reminds the Belgian of her power with a ferocious backhand down the line.

That winner does little to scare the lower-ranked woman who decides to serve-and-volley at 40-15 but she's passed by a looping Kvitova forehand.

Two return winners in a row from the Czech and she's now got BREAK POINT...

BREAK! The eighth seed latches onto a second serve and blasts it right back at the feet of Flipkens who can do very little to send it back over.

BREAK BACK! Flipkens isn't being overawed here and she breaks back instantly with a phenomenal return of her own, running around her backhand and lashing a forehand onto the baseline at 30-40.

BREAK! It's three breaks in a row as Kvitova goes on the offensive and Flipkens can't handle the pace. The Czech finishes off the game with a big groundstroke and simple volley into an open court.

Kvitova holds serve to make sure that it isn't four breaks in a row on Centre. The 2011 champion is now a game away from the first set.

Two unreturnable serves from Flipkens see her hold for the first time in three attempts. It's now up to Kvitova to serve out the set.

It's Kvitova's winners that have put her ahead in this first set. She has 17 to Flipkens's six. The Belgian has made far fewer unforced errors though, just one to Kvitova's eight.

Flipkens's return at 15-30 dips just over the net and Kvitova is off-balance in getting to the ball and shoots it out. TWO BREAK-BACK POINTS for the Belgian...

They're both gone! First Flipkens hit a return into the net before dragging a forehand wide. Deuce it is.

Now SET POINT Kvitova as Flipkens fails to get the Czech's down-the-T serve back in play...

Kvitova sets up the point well but swipes a forehand long with Flipkens on the run.

Another chance to grab the set for Kvitova but she DOUBLE FAULTS for the first time in the match.

Kvitova has just saved two break-back points for Flipkens and we're back at deuce once more.

SET! The Czech takes the set on the third opportunity after five deuces in a tense tenth game. Three-quarters of an hour it took.

Flipkens shouldn't feel too downhearted. She played some great shots there and only made one unforced error to Kvitova's 13! The Belgian just needs to look more assured on serve. She'll open this set as the covers on the outside courts are removed.

A solid start to the set for the Belgian as she holds to 15.

Flipkens pushes Kvitova close in that service game but can't earn a break point and we remain level in the second.

A dominant hold from the Belgian and, as I instructed her to, Flipkens is looking much better on serve in this set. Good girl.

'Anything you can do, I can do better,' says Kvitova as she holds to love, moving past 25 winners in the match in the process.

Winner number 27 for Kvitova as Flipkens's serve at 15-0 bounces right into the Czech's hitting zone and she blasts a return down the line off the forehand.

Flipkens challenges an out call on her serve at 40-15 and can't believe it when HawkEye shows that it went a millimetre out. She's clearly ruffled and double faults straight away.

It ends up not mattering as Kvitova hits long on the next point so we're still on serve.

Flashing return winner from Flipkens and she's looking dangerous at 0-30 on the Kvitova serve.

BREAK POINT Flipkens as she executes a good drop shot and then lobs the completely out-of-position Kvitova who just got there. 30-40...

BREAK! Kvitova dumps a backhand way below the tap on the net and Flipkens has clear daylight in the second set.

An easy hold for Flipkens and Kvitova doesn't look in a good way. She's called for the trainer and more importantly the doctor.

Kvitova's temparature is checked by and the medical staff seem happy for her to continue. She'll hope to hold serve now and force Flipkens to serve out the set.

SET POINT Flipkens as she slices to the net and Kvitova's lob is just long.

Saved by Kvitova thanks to a booming serve up the T.

Two more points for the Czech and it's over to Flipkens to level up the match.

Great hitting from the Belgian and she has THREE SET POINTS...

SET! Kvitova shows that she still has gas in the tank by saving the first well but a Flipkens ACE on the second seals the set.

Despite calling for the doctor and losing that set, Kvitova is still the in-play favourite with bookies across the Internet. There's no reason Flipkens can't go on and win this though.

We have another delay in play as Kvitova goes off court to maybe splash some water on her face to wake up a little.

The decider is now underway though with Kvitova serving first.

Kvitova eases to 40-0 before nudging a forehand just past the corner and then horribly missing a smash. She doesn't allow Flipkens back to deuce though by winning the next point to hold serve.

No sign of nerves from Flipkens as she produces a confident service game to level up the decider.

Kvitova matches her opponent in holding to 15 and this match is ever so delicately poised.

Flipkens saves the first break point of the final set at 30-40 before holding serve after a second deuce. Big moment that for the Belgian.

Kvitova did look quite ill towards the end of the second set but she's performing much better in the third. Another hold to 15 to remain just ahead in the decider.

At 15-15 Flipkens produces a near-perfect squash shot on the run and Kvitova can't get low enough to curve the ball up and back in to the court.

The next two points are the Belgian's as well and she continues to impress behind her own serve under immense pressure on Centre.

Flipkens has only hit FIVE unforced errors all game. That's mightily impressive when you consider that Kvitova has done five times more than that.

The Czech has hit double the winners of her opponent though.

A love hold for Petra that included a beautiful drop shot and they go back to the chairs still on serve as we approach two hours of playing time under the roof.

Kvitova pulls it back to 30-30 but then Flipkens finds two mighty serves to hold on. Impressive from the 20th seed.

UPDATE: It's all over on No. 1 Court as Marion Bartoli ends young American Sloane Stephens's run at the Championships. The Frenchwoman will play the winner of this match in the last four.

Back to Centre quickly and it's advantage Flipkens and BREAK POINT for the Belgian...

BREAK! Kvitova hits a good backhand to the corner and Flipkens can only prod it back in the direction of the Czech at the net. You'd expect the 2011 champion to blast away the drive-volley but her backhand flies long! Unbelievable stuff and Flipkens will now serve for a place in the semis.

Remember, before this year Flipkens had never got past the third round of a Grand Slam before. She reached round four at the Aussie Open earlier this year and now has the chance to make it to the Wimbledon semi-finals.

An extended rally to start the game and it's Kvitova who buckles by hitting out. 15-0.

Kvitova's shot is called in on the next but Flipkens challenges and it was out! 30-0.

ACE! 40-0 and THREE MATCH POINTS...

GAME, SET AND MATCH FLIPKENS!

Drama right until the end! Kvitova saves the first two match points with a pair of brutal crosscourt backhands, but then Flipkens finds an ace out-wide at 40-30. Kvitova stands still and challenges the call but there was a puff of paint and HawkEye confirms that it was right in the corner of the service box.

The crowd applaud both women as they head off court. They've been treated to a gripping day of women's tennis that's lasted much longer than expected. Both quarter-finals went to three sets and you can relive it all on our hub of SW19 reports and reaction.

The women's semi-final lineup is complete then and here it is:


Lisicki vs. Radwanska
Bartoli vs. Flipkens

That's all we've got time for on SM today. Thanks for joining us. We'll be back tomorrow at 12.30pm for men's quarter-final day. See you then.

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Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic reacts after winning her match against Coco Vandeweghe of the United States during their Women's first round singles match on June 24, 2013
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