(Author: Chandra Moulee Das)
Petra Kvitova has finally won the Miami Open in her 17-year career.
By winning the final match in two sets – 7:6, 6:2, Petra interrupted Rybakina’s 13-match winning streak and took home her first Miami Open title
Throughout Kvitova’s career, the hard courts at the Miami Open have presented unfavourable conditions for her style of play, due to the slow pace and humid climate. As a result, she had never made it past the quarter-finals in her 12 previous matches.
This year, however, the courts have been remarkably fast, allowing Kvitova to capitalise on her powerful left-handed serve.
After going through some career difficulties last fall, and falling out of the top 30 last season, Kvitova’s win in Miami is significant, marking her first WTA 1000 title since 2018 and her ninth title overall. In addition, Kvitova reached the milestone of her 30th career title, the highest mark of her generation. Among the active players, only
Kvitova’s unpredictability and high-risk shots led her to victory at the Miami Open. This season has brought a change to the women’s tournament, with top-level tennis coming to the fore with defense-based styles of play. Kvitova has always been known for her great returns, and this was evident in her match against Rybakina.
Both players served well and attacked early in the match, resulting in an average rally length of just three games. The match culminated in a 20-minute tiebreak, with Kvitova saving five set points before finally securing the first set. In the second set, Kvitova played with more ease and served impeccably, leading to victory.
Despite having experienced setbacks in her career, including a serious knife attack in 2016, Kvitova has built a hall of fame career, winning two Wimbledon titles, among other prizes. Her high-risk style of play resulted in some early defeats, but her reputation as one of the most dangerous and unpredictable players in the world remains intact.