Elena Rybakina was denied a Sunshine Double as Petra Kvitova won her first-ever Miami Open title with a two-set triumph in Saturday's final.
The two-time Grand Slam winner came through one of the most astonishing tie-breaks of the WTA season so far in a 7-6[14] 6-2 victory over Indian Wells champion Rybakina, taking one hour and 42 minutes to seal a memorable triumph.
Rybakina saved two break points in the first game of the match, but there was otherwise nothing to separate the two players in the early knockings with eight holds being exchanged between them.
Not until the ninth game would another break opportunity materialise, and it is one that Kvitova took, but Rybakina broke straight back when the 15th seed was serving for the first set.
A tie-break would be needed to separate the two finalists at the end of the first set - Rybakina's speciality - with the reigning Wimbledon champion yet to lose a deciding battle in the 2023 season so far.
A sensational back-and-forth tie-break saw 30 points exchanged in a 22-minute-long duel - the longest-ever in a WTA 1000 final - as Rybakina missed five chances to close out the set, while Kvitova wasted four.
30th career singles title 🏆
— wta (@WTA) April 1, 2023
1st Miami Open title 🌴@Petra_Kvitova snaps Rybakina's win streak, 7-6(14), 6-2!#MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/A5cZ5FUCmm
Shanked forehands were the theme of the tie-break, but Rybakina sent one into the net to bring an end to that monumental battle, and Kvitova did not look back after coming up trumps in the first set.
The 33-year-old quickly went a set and a break up with a 3-0 lead in the second set, and a beleaguered Rybakina had to beat away another opportunity for Kvitova to earn the double break.
After a trio of love holds between them, Kvitova brought up two Championship points on Rybakina's serve, and the Kazakhstani fired a wild forehand long to hand the 33-year-old her maiden Miami Open honour.
Kvitova's first-ever Miami Open crown represents her 30th WTA title from 41 finals during her illustrious career, and her first since clinching Eastbourne International glory in June 2022.
Meanwhile, Rybakina's 11-match winning streak came to an end on Saturday evening, as the 23-year-old lost a Masters singles final for the first time on the WTA Tour.
Italy's Jannik Sinner and Russia's Daniil Medvedev will face off with the men's singles title on the line on Sunday evening.
Ben Knapton
