Tennis: Kvitova downs Keys to reach Cincinnati final against qualifier Garcia
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CINCINNATI (AFP) - Petra Kvitova constructed a 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-3 comeback over Madison Keys on Saturday (Aug 20) to reach her first final at the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters/Open.
The two-time Wimbledon winner who reached the final four here in 2012 and 2018, will face Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia - who beat Aryna Sabalenka and is the first qualifier to reach the championship match at a WTA 1000 event - in Sunday's final.
"It was an incredible match, I expected it to be tough - but not this tough," the 32-year-old Czech said as she makes a return to the ranking top-20.
"I just kept going and tried to break here (after losing the first set). I played more calmly and waited for my chances, which came.
"I'm happy I made it somehow. I don't care about the ranking but the important thing is to be in another final.
"That's why I play tennis, to compete for the trophies. I got emotional at the end, the match was mentally so tough."
Kvitova, ranked 28th, lost the opening set after nearly an hour to her American opponent, the 2019 Cincinnati Open champion.
But the Czech struck back with two breaks in the second set and began the third with another as she turned the tables for victory in two hours and 20 minutes.
Kvitova recovered from 0-40 down in her last service game before breaking Keys for victory on a third match point as the American returned wide.
Kvitova was competing in her 63rd career semi-final and moved into her 12th final at the Masters level.
She now stands 5-4 in her series with Keys.
In the later match, Garcia survived two rain breaks to defeat Belarus' Sabalenka 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.
She maintained control over the sixth seed despite the weather interruptions totalling four hours and broke six times in a match comprising two hours of actual play.
“What a day it has been,” No. 35 Garcia said. “Last night I was excited to be in the semi-finals.
“Aryna is a difficult opponent, so fast, so strong. We had a lot of very tough rallies and tough weather. You never knew when you would be coming back to the court – but we managed it.”
She maintained control over the sixth seed despite the weather interruptions totalling four hours and broke six times in a match comprising two hours of actual play.
“What a day it has been,” No. 35 Garcia said. “Last night I was excited to be in the semi-finals.
“Aryna is a difficult opponent, so fast, so strong. We had a lot of very tough rallies and tough weather. You never knew when you would be coming back to the court – but we managed it.”
The pair returned after the second interruption and played out three more games as Garcia finished off the victory.
“No one would have expected this to happen,” she said. “It feels great. I’ve had a long journey in Cincinnati."
“No one would have expected this to happen,” she said. “It feels great. I’ve had a long journey in Cincinnati."
