Kvitova defeats Rybakina to win Miami Open crown

MIAMI: Petra Kvitova upset Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina 7-6(14), 6-2 in the final on Saturday to win her first Miami Open women’s singles crown and ninth WTA 1000 title. The veteran Czech player, seeded 15th, ended an epic, 22-minute first set tie-break by converting her fifth set point when the 10th-seeded Rybakina’s forehand landed in the net. The powerful left hander swung freely in the second set, racing to a 3-0 lead and breaking the hard-serving Rybakina for the third time on match point. The 33-year-old Kvitova, who had recently contemplated retirement, put her hands on her head in astonishment when Rybakina’s forehand sailed long to seal the contest. The straight-set loss ended Indian Wells champion Rybakina’s bid for the ‘Sunshine Double’ and snapped the reigning Wimbledon champion’s 13-match winning streak.