Kvitova Czechs Vika In Madrid

 

Originally published on: 07/09/11 12:58

Fast-becoming a force to be reckoned with in the women’s game, Petra Kvitova laid down a marker for Roland Garros after beating Victoria Azarenka to secure her fourth career title in Madrid.

Having already won in Brisbane and Paris this year, the 21-year-old Czech followed Caroline Wozniacki’s lead to become only the second player to win three WTA titles in 2011. Not only that, her impressive run in the Spanish capital – where she pulled off surprise straight sets wins over world No.3 Vera Zvonareva and No.6 Li Na en route to the final – also saw her saw muscle her way into the Top 10 having entered the Madrid event ranked No.18.

“I’m so happy to win the tournament and be in the top 10 at the same time,” said Kvitova. “But it’s just a number and I want to improve – I don’t just want to be top 10, I want to keep getting better and better.”

According to the numbers at least, Kvitova was certainly better than her opponent in Madrid, cracking 40 winners to Azarenka’s 10 after edging the first set on a tiebreak and riding out a see-saw second.

Twice the Czech went up a break and twice she immediately handed the advantage back to the talented returner in the second set, but at 3-3 Kvitova managed to grab one that stuck.

“Petra showed some great tennis today,” said Azarenka, who had hoped to add to her triumphs in Miami and Marbella.

“There were some things I could have done better and I could have taken some more opportunities, but that’s the way tennis works,” she reasoned. “Today it was her on top.”

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