Miami Open: Petra's Revival - Issue #31
Petra Kvitová has been one of the defining players of our generation, both on & off the court. She has nothing left to prove, yet she finds herself winning a 30th title in Miami.
Written by Dove Sallow
Petra Kvitová, 33-year-old Miami Open Champion. This time last year, this probably isn't a statement you thought you would ever read. But that's part of the magic of Petra. We've watched her grow from the charming 21-year-old who defeated Maria Sharapova to win her first Wimbledon title to a champion of maturity and great wisdom. The Czech undoubtedly is one of the greatest active champions tennis has left. With 30 career titles to her name, Kvitová has won almost everything that the sport has to offer. 2 Wimbledon titles, 9 WTA 1000s, 13 WTA 500s, 4 WTA 250s, 1 WTA Finals, 1 WTA Elite trophy, 1 Olympic Bronze medal, and a record 8 WTA Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship awards later and here she stands. With the 2nd most titles among active players (behind Venus Williams) and a heart of gold to match, the modern darling of Czech tennis is still adding on to her legacy.
Petra’s road to the final was stunning, as she only dropped one set en route to the title. But her return to form truly started a few weeks ago in Indian Wells. As I'm sure no one forgot, she made a run to the quarterfinals before falling to Maria Sakkari. On the way to that quarterfinal, she defeated a very in form Jelena Ostapenko and also saved four match points against Jessica Pegula before turning things around like only Petra can. I didn't realize it then, but this match must've played a big role in Kvitová finding her belief again. As we all know, tennis is a strange sport and confidence can be hard to come by, no matter who you are or what you've achieved.
When Kvitová arrived in Miami, it was clear that she came to play. The only player to take a set off of her was Ekaterina Alexandrova, another aggressive player who's been in the form of her life. When Petra won her semifinal match against Sorana Cirstea, she knew she would meet the biggest task in tennis at the moment - Elena Rybakina. The Kazakh was on a 13 match win streak and was on the cusp of completing the Sunshine Double after winning Indian Wells last month. Over the last four weeks, Elena bullied the best players in the world. She took down everyone, from world #1 Iga Swiatek to #2 Aryna Sabalenka. If you said she wasn't playing like the world #1, you'd be lying to yourself. But this is why being #1 is such a great honor. It's unbelievably difficult to stay on top of the game for long periods of time, particularly in an era with so many talented and determined players. Petra Kvitová was certainly one of those determined players. She challenged Elena from the very first ball. The Czech came out the more aggressive player and managed to stay on serve with Rybakina (who broke the record for most aces in a WTA 1000 in the middle of this very final) until deep in the first set. To the surprise of many, Kvitová was able to break serve first, but fumbled when trying to serve out the set. The first set would be decided in a 30 point tiebreaker (16-14), the longest ever in a WTA 1000 final. Interestingly, Rybakina had not lost a single tiebreak in 2023. Both women had 5 set points. But like a true veteran of the tour, Petra stepped up and was able to capitalize.
“I had read that Elena never lost a tiebreak in 2023. I told myself I had to serve well. Eh, boom, here's a tiebreak. What would I do now? I told myself that sooner or later she too would lose a tiebreak in the season. So I tried."
Kvitová's performance was unforgettable. She served 76% of first serves in, won 79% of first serve points, and managed to win a whopping 75% of second serve points. Petra would be the first person to tell you, she's not known for her movement, and she doesn't want to be on the back foot. For her to defend her second serve as well as she did against a player who hits the covers off the ball like Rybakina does is sensational. This performance was a reminder of why Kvitová has been such a prevalent name in these big matches. Winning big titles is what this woman has built her name on. Her record in finals is devastating - 30 wins and 11 losses. When the trophy is in Petra's line of vision, run for your life.
"The world of tennis goes fast, and I can't sit here and always look at my trophy, I have to keep going, like everyone does. It means a lot to me that, even at my age, I'm able to win a big tournament. That's the most important thing. Honestly, I think my experience played a big part today. I've played so many finals. I know I can play well in the final no matter who I'm up against."
Statements like this are why Petra has been one of the defining champions of our generation. She's 33 years old, but is still hungry to add to her list of achievements. There have been many talented players that have passed through women's tennis over the last two decades, but not all of them have stood the test of time. Petra has stuck with us. She's found ways to compete with the youngest, brightest talents time and time again over the past 12 years. She hasn't always been the most consistent player, and that's probably something she would tell you with a smile on her face. But she has produced some of the most magical moments I've seen in this sport. For every dazzling winner, every time she screamed "Pojd!" at the top of her lungs, and every time she provided us with a genuine release of emotion that only she can evoke, I want to thank Petra Kvitová. She is not just a champion on the court, she's a champion off of it as well. Revered far and wide, there's a piece of Petra that has stuck with all of us. Her triumph in Miami reminded me that the passage of time does not weaken the strength of the human spirit. At the age of 33, she might not move as well as she did at 21. Maybe her stamina isn't what it was 5 years ago. But be sure about this. With every year that's passed, the spirit of Petra Kvitová has only become more determined.