(Miami) Czech Petra Kvitova joined Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in the Miami Open final after defeating Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-4 on Friday in Florida.
The 12e 33-year-old world champion, will try to win a 9e title in WTA 1000, category just below the Grand Slams, five years after the last conquered in Madrid.
But she will have a hard time dealing with the player in great shape at the moment, in search of the “Sunshine Double” in the wake of her victory in Indian Wells, a double achieved the same year by four players so far: Steffi Graf twice , Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek.
In the meantime, she still took the upper hand against Cirstea (74e), with a seventh victory in eleven confrontations, which had nevertheless taken a better start in this meeting, since it led 5-2 and was even two points from the set in the following game.
And the 32-year-old Romanian, who had created the surprise by leaving the world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka, will be able to harbor regrets for not having then materialized her two set points at 5-3 on Kvitova’s service. Because the latter was able to reverse the situation by winning the next four games.
In the aftermath, the Czech broke her rival from the start, maintaining this advantage until the end, without ever being worried about her commitment, to finish in 1:41.