MIAMI:
Petra Kvitova used her experience to claim her 30th WTA title in straight sets to win the Miami Open. Elena Rybakina on Saturday.
Czech Kvitova, appearing in her first Miami final at the age of 33, won 7-6 (16/14), 6-2 at Hard Rock Stadium, a victory that returned the two-time champion of Wimbledon in the top 10 in the world ranking.
Rybakina came to the final with a 13-match best after winning the title in Indian Wells and she was looking for the “Sunshine Double” of both events in the WTA 1000.
It was a tight battle, managed to serve until it arrived Kvitova broke 5-4 up but Rybakina, who represents Kazakhstan, broke immediately.
That set up a match and went a perfect 7-0 in those competitions this season, Wimbledon champion Rybakina would have been assured of a chance but Kvitova’s serve was strong and she stayed strong. his desire.
The tiebreaker was a 22-minute, 28-second, 30-point shoot-out in which Kvitova saved five set points to emerge victorious after being hit again by Rybakina the net.
Kvitova, a left-handed player, found that momentum in the second set, breaking out to a 2-0 lead and from then on she never let her 11-year-old opponent back down. also in competition.
Rybakina was unable to convert a break point in the next game and was broken again on serve to stay in the match at 5-2 down.
Kvitova, who has now won 30 of her 41 finals, said the tiebreak, which saw five sets apiece, turned the contest in her favor. side.
“That was the decision of the whole game for sure. I think it was the longest game I’ve played in my life. It’s not easy hanging out with Elena,” he said.
“(She hit) a lot of aces at the beginning of the tie-break, I was like oh my God, I couldn’t play, so it was a bit difficult,” Kvitova added. , who now has nine WTA 1000 titles.
Rybakina is part of a talented new generation on the WTA Tour, along with world number one Iga Swiatek of Poland and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, but Kvitova said she could use her experience.
“I think it played a good role mentally. I’ve had a lot of finals. I know I can play well in a final, no matter who I’m facing. Mentally, I was It’s important to me to know that,” he said. said.
“The truth is that this means a lot, at my age I can still win big matches, young people will always come, it is difficult to meet them all the time, it is very tiring. enough,” added the Czech.
Kvitova won 78 percent of her serves (52 of 67) and finished with 29 wins and 14 unforced errors.
Rybakina hit 12 aces in the match and became the first player since Serena Williams at 2016 Wimbledon to hit 10 or more aces in six consecutive matches in a single tournament.
Rybakina, who was born in Moscow, said that despite the disappointment, she was happy with her Indian Wells title and her second place in the “Sunshine Swing.”
“It was really tough in the first set and I think that made a big difference at the start of the second,” he said.
“I’m happy with the whole two weeks, not so much in the second set but I think it’s a good month here in America,” he added.
“After a lot of matches, I feel confident, it’s just a good preparation now (for clay)…keep fighting, keep working on technique, body and every part of my game,” he said.
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