Miami Open Highlights: World No.12 Petra Kvitova ended Elena Rybakina’s 13-match win streak by winning the Miami Open final. Kvitova held off Rybakina to win 7-6(14), 6-2 in Saturday’s final. With the vitory Kvitova has won her career’s 30th title. She has also ended Elena Rybakina’s dream of lifting the Sunshine Double following her Indian Wells Masters win this year. Follow Miami Open 2023 LIVE updates on InsideSport.IN
Miami Open Highlights: Petra Kvitova ends Elena Rybakina’s Sunshine Double dream, clinches straight set win in final of Miami Open 2023 – Watch Highlights
PETRA KVITOVA, YOU’RE A MIAMI OPEN CHAMPION‼️🏆 pic.twitter.com/54re2Awjob
— Miami Open (@MiamiOpen) April 1, 2023
At 33 years old, Kvitova became the oldest Miami champion since Serena Williams in 2015. On Monday she will return to the Top 10 for the first time since September of 2021.
In her 13th main draw appearance in Miami and 99th at a WTA 1000 tournament, Kvitova captured her ninth WTA 1000 title and extended her impressive record in Hologic WTA Tour finals to 30-11. Her win over No.7 Rybakina was the 60th Top 10 win of her career, behind only Venus Williams and Victoria Azarenka among active players.
Kvitova came through a dramatic 67-minute opening set, which saw her unsuccessfully serve for the set at 5-4 before ultimately saving a total of five set points in a lengthy tiebreak to take it 16-14.
In an intriguing battle between two big-hitting Wimbledon champions, Kvitova and Rybakina opened the match by exchanging eight consecutive holds before Kvitova broke for a 5-4 lead. Rybakina responded by converting her first break point of the set at 5-4, 30-40, powering down a deep return that earned an errant reply.
Rybakina carried a perfect 7-0 record in tiebreaks into the final, but Kvitova had reason to be confident. The Czech was 6-2 in tiebreaks this season and serving well over 70 percent in the first set. Despite five aces from Rybakina, Kvitova saved five set points and converted on her fifth to grab the lead.
With the momentum on her side, Kvitova raced out to a 3-0 lead in the second set. Rybakina did well to stay within a break, saving a break point to avoid falling behind 4-0. But on a day when Kvitova won well over 75 percent of her service points and faced just two break points, the one break was all the former No.2 needed. She closed out a love hold with her fifth ace of the match to lead 5-2 and broke Rybakina in the final game to close out the win after 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Miami Open Highlights: Petra Kvitova ends Elena Rybakina’s Sunshine Double dream, clinches straight set win in final of Miami Open 2023 – Watch Highlights
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