World number three Vera Zvonareva was knocked out in the third round of the Madrid Open by Petra Kvitova on Wednesday, losing 6-1 6-4 to the Czech 16th seed.
Russian Zvonareva, who could have risen to number two had she reached the final of the clay event in the Spanish capital, had her serve broken four times by the world number 18, the only left-hander inside the top 30.
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Zvonareva missed out on a possible quarter-final clash with compatriot and former world number one Maria Sharapova, who continues her return from shoulder surgery against unseeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova later on Wednesday.
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