Kvitova overcomes Bertens to win Madrid Open title

Madrid, May 13

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Petra Kvitova won the Madrid Open title for the third time with a marathon 7-6 (8/6) 4-6 6-3 victory over Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands. Kvitova has now claimed four titles in 2018 after triumphs in St Petersburg, Doha and last weekend in Prague.

Victory, on a chilly, damp night in the Spanish capital, took Kvitova two hours and 51 minutes against a gutsy, unseeded Bertens, who had knocked out Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki on her way to the championship match. In a big-hitting, roller-coaster of a final, Kvitova claimed her 24th career title on the back of 39 winners and 58 unforced errors. Bertens led 4-2 with a break in the first set before Kvitova roared back, retrieving the break in the next game. The Czech claimed the 74-minute opener on a third set point. 

Bertens carved out the only break in the seventh game of the second set to level the contest. She then fell 2-4 down in the decider before bravely hitting straight back but in a thrilling finale, Kvitova dug deep to break again for 5-3 before a love service hold gave her victory and an 11th successive match win. — AFP 

Thiem to face Zverev for Madrid Masters  

Dominic Thiem followed up his sensational victory over world No. 1 Rafael Nadal by easing past Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-2 to reach the Madrid Masters final. The fifth-seeded Austrian needed 85 minutes to dispose of his South African opponent, seeded sixth. Thiem will face German second seed Alexander Zverev, who swept past Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov 6-4 6-1 in Sunday’s championship match. — Reuters