Kvitova Shocks Rybakina, Wins Maiden Miami Open Title

Elena Rybakina's hope for a 'Sunshine Double' was crushed in Saturday's final as Petra Kvitova won her maiden Miami Open title with an impressive straight-set.

Kvitova sealed victory by winning 7-6 (16-14) 6-2 to end Rybakina's 13-match winning streak in her first Miami final after 13 attempts.

The two-time Grand Slam winner came through a marathon 30-point first-set tie-break in the 41st final of her career to win the opening set against a player boasting the most main-draw wins (21) on the WTA Tour this year.

Rybakina failed to respond in the second set as the Czech raced to a 3-0 lead after clinching an early break, then held serve to love and broke Rybakina again to seal her ninth WTA 1000 title.

“I’m still surprised. I think the tie-break really decided the whole match in the end…it was probably the longest in my career and somehow I managed it,” she said.

“(She hit) so many aces at the beginning of the tie-break, I was like oh my God, I couldn’t even play, so it was a little difficult.

“I had to slowly serve it out very well today and I am glad I made it in the end but to be honest I have no idea how I did it,” she added.

The 33-year-old Miami Open crown represents her 30th WTA title and biggest victory since Madrid in 2018.

She will move back into the world's top 10 for the first time since September 2021 with the 1,000 ranking points which accompanied her victory, in addition to $1.26m (£1.02m) in prize money.