WTA Miami: Only Petra Kvitova can prevent Elena Rybakina's Sunshine Double
Petra Kvitova is responsible for preventing Elena Rybakina from winning the Sunshine Doubles 2023. These two women meet in the final of the WTA Tour 1000 tournament in Miami today at 21:00 CEST.
by Robin Huiber
last edit:
Apr 01, 2023, 06:58 am
Elena Rybakina and Petra Kvitova have one thing in common: Both can be known as Wimbledon winners forever, the Czech has even managed to do so twice. However, Rybakina could move up into another illustrious group with a win in the final of the WTA Tour 1000 tournament tonight in Miami: Only Steffi Graf (1994 and 1996), Kim Clijsters (2005), Victoria Azarenka ( 2016) and last year Iga Swiatek got the so-called Sunshine Double, i.e. won both the tournaments in Indian Wells and in Miami.
In any case, Kvitova followed suit on Friday with a 7: 5 and 6: 4 against Sorana Cirstea, ending the Romanian's successful run, to which Aryna Sabalenka had also fallen victim. In the first sentence it looked like Cirstea could take the next step. But Kvitova fought her way back into the set from a 2:5 deficit and won it too.
Kvitova and Rybakina with a balanced record
The record between Petra Kvitova and Elena Rybakina is balanced: While Rybakina won the first encounter last fall in Ostrava, Kvitova retaliated with a two-set win in Adelaide earlier this season. Experience speaks more for the Czech: It will be Kvitova's eleventh final at a level of 1000, Rybakina only stops at two.
On the other hand, Rybakina still remembers her first one well, two weeks ago in Indian Wells she was able to take revenge on Aryna Sabalenka for the loss at the Australian Open 2023. In Miami she is now aiming for her 14th match success in a row.
Here is the individual tableau in Miami
miamimap