Three times out of four, Petra Kvitova wins her finals and this was confirmed again on Saturday at the WTA 1000 in Miami, where she defied the odds by depriving Elena Rybakina of a “Sunshine Double” in the wake of her victory in Indian Wells .
This is the first time that the 33-year-old Czech has managed to win in Florida, where she showed more solidity and consistency to beat 7-6 (16/14), 6-2 the Kazakhstani (7th ) appeared somewhat at the end of the race on the physical level, after more than three weeks of stringing together thirteen victories.
The double champion at Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, who succeeds the Polish Iga Swiatek on the list, won her ninth title in a tournament of this category, located just below the Grand Slams, five years after the previous gleaned in Madrid. Enough to re-enter the top 10 on Monday, according to the WTA projection.
Second oldest player to win in Miami, behind Serena Williams who was 166 days older when she was crowned in 2015, Kvitova had promised to “fight like a beautiful devil” to take up the challenge proposed by Rybakina, whose l The momentum indeed seemed irresistible, two weeks after his victory in Indian Wells and two months after his final, admittedly lost, at the Australian Open.
But the 23-year-old Kazakhstani has evolved a tone below what she has offered in recent weeks, without detracting from her rival.
In the first set, the two players were very solid on their engagements, until 4-4, moment chosen by Kvitova to break the first. A very short-lived ascendancy because Rybakina, who is not the type to panic with her back to the wall – she saved a match point at the start of the tournament, before knocking down the Spaniard Paula Badosa -, immediately returned the the same.
– 30 titles in 41 finals –
The decision was made in the decisive game, also very tight, during which the unforced errors weighed more than the winning shots. And it was after 22 minutes and 30 disputed points that the Czech was a little less feverish, converting her fifth set point – the Kazakhstani wasted as many, despite five aces placed (12 in total) .
“I’m still surprised. I think the tie-break really decided the fate of the match… It was probably the longest of my career and I managed to win it,” she reacted all smile.
In the aftermath, Kvitova indeed broke Rybakina at the start of the second set, preamble to a solo rider since his opponent went down in speed, only creating an opportunity to unbreak, missed.
The latter may especially regret this tie-break which could have turned in its favor. But even if she fails to join Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek in the closed club of “Sunshine Double”, which consists of victoriously chaining Indian Wells and Miami, her American spring has something to delight her, because it confirms his emergence at the top of world tennis, interviewed last year with his triumph at Wimbledon.
For their third confrontation, the Czech, who now leads 2-1, was simply above.
“I also think my experience played a role. I’ve played so many finals. I know I can play them well, regardless of the opponent,” she added at a press conference.
Her record speaks for her, since she now has 30 trophies to her name for 41 finals played. A remarkable ratio which makes her the most successful player still active behind the American Venus Williams (49).
