Svetlana Kuznetsova started off her week in Stuttgart very strong with a three-set triumph over Kiki Bertens, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Maybe her time driving Porsches got her in the right mindset to be fast and resilient.

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The press conference afterwards would bring out even more entertainment as Kuznetsova regaled reporters with a story of her reaction upon hearing her friend Serena Williams was pregnant.

"I think it's great..." Kuznetsova said. "But for a couple of days I was in shock. Is this for real? Then I said [I've got to] text her. So I text her, 'You know you caught me by surprise?' And she said, 'So was I...'"