(Miami) Czech Petra Kvitova joined Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in the Miami Open final after defeating Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-4 on Friday in Florida.

The 33-year-old 12th in the world will try to win a ninth WTA 1000 title, a category just below the Grand Slams, five years after the last won in Madrid.

But she will have to face the player in great shape of the moment, in search of the “Sunshine Double” in the wake of her victory in Indian Wells, a double achieved in the same year by four players so far: Steffi Graf twice , Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek.

In the meantime, she again took the upper hand against Cirstea (74th), with a seventh victory in eleven confrontations, who had nevertheless made a better start in this meeting, since she led 5-2 and was even two points from the set. in the next game.

And the 32-year-old Romanian, who had created the surprise by leaving world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka, will be able to harbor regrets for not having then materialized her two set points at 5-3 on Kvitova’s service. Because the latter was able to reverse the situation by winning the next four games.

In the process, the Czech broke her rival from the start, maintaining this advantage until the end, without ever being worried about her commitment, to finish in 1:41.