Petra Kvitova picked up two set points and rally to beat Sorana Cirstea and reach the Miami Open final for the first time in her career, where Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina awaits.
Petra Kvitova grabbed two points in the opening set and dominated the rest of the match to seal a 7-5 6-4 victory over Sorana Cirstea on Friday to reach the Miami Open final for the first time in her stellar career.
15th seed Kvitová was a quarter-finalist three years earlier but finally reached the title match on her 13th attempt in Miami. She will play Kazakhstan’s 10th seed Elena Rybakina in Saturday’s final.
“I’ve waited so long to be in the final here,” said Kvitova. “I’m glad I finally did it.”
The 33-year-old Kvitova scored seven aces in an hour and 41 minutes when she got rid of the Romanian, who was playing in the semi-finals for the first time since 2013 in Toronto.
Once Kvitova started rolling, she dominated play as she beat Cirstea for the seventh time in 11 career meetings.
Petra Kvitova beat Sorana Cirstea 7-5 6-4 on Friday to reach the final of the Miami Open.
Kvitova picked up two first set points from Cirstea to take control of the match
Kviteva finally reached her title match in her 13th attempt in Miami with a win on Friday
It had a few specific points. I think when I flipped it over, it was a different story. I felt more confident and I felt as if I couldn’t miss her and she was a little bit missing (her shots).
Cerstea, who turns 33 on April 7, got off to a hot start at odds of 5-2 before Kvitová made a comeback. Leading 5-3, Cirstea had two set points and the Czech eventually won the match. She also won the next three matches to get the set.
Kvitova jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set to make the win a seven-game winning streak. Cirstea pulled within 5-4 before Kvitova closed it out.
“At 5-3, 40-15, she came in with two amazing returns,” said Cirstea. I thought I was well served. The only thing I can say is that I probably should have chosen the other side.
“But it just goes like that, and then you really start to wobble. For a couple of games, I think maybe four games, you just fell off form. Then as I mentioned, when I came back, it was too late.
Kvitova will be looking for her 30th singles title. The only active player to have won more WTA crowns is Venus Williams (49).
Kvitova and Rybakina had split in two previous meetings.
“It’s 1-1, so we’ll decide it tomorrow,” Kvitova said. It’s definitely a favourite. She plays great tennis.
She will play 10th seed Elena Rybakina (pictured) of Kazakhstan in Saturday’s final
Kvitova’s victory over Rybakina came earlier this year in the first round of the Adelaide International in Australia.
“She played really well, but she was much faster on the courts there,” Rybakina said of the match with Kvitova. “I think it would be different…but it sure is a lot physically, because the pitches here are very slow, especially after the rain, I think. When it’s wet, it’s not easy.
Rybakina is looking forward to completing the “Sunshine Double”. She won in Indian Wells earlier this month.
She reached the Miami final by defeating third seed Jessica Pegula 7-6(3), 6-4 on Thursday.
