Sofia Kenin holds strong at Miami Open to overcome Petra Kvitova's challenge

Sofia Kenin secured a hard-fought victory over Petra Kvitova, winning 6-4, 7-5, and eliminating the former Miami Open champion. It was arguably the match of Tuesday, 18th, with two former Grand Slam champions facing off in the first round, where the differences between them were minimal, and both had moments of doubt on their service games.

The 2023 Miami Open champion, Petra Kvitova, had been absent in 2024 after taking a break from her career due to maternity leave. With a ranking of No. 1126, she received a wildcard to compete in the draw. It was a tough first-round draw against the 2020 Australian Open champion, which ended with Kvitova's early exit.

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First Set

Kvitova started strong, breaking early to gain the advantage. Despite limited competition rhythm in 2024, after two first-round defeats at the ATX Open and Indian Wells, the 2023 Miami Open champion was playing at a good level.

Kenin, however, quickly regained the break, winning three consecutive games to take a 3-2 lead. The match was filled with tension, with both players exchanging breaks to reach 4-4. Kenin held her serve before the set's conclusion and took advantage of a crucial opportunity in the 10th game, breaking Kvitova at the right moment to take the set 6-4.

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Kvitova’s service was a rollercoaster, with 6 aces and 6 double faults. She won 67% of points on her first serve but only 17% on the second. On the other hand, Kenin’s first serve was one of her strong points, winning 93% of points on it. She also capitalized on 3/4 break point opportunities during the set.

Second Set

Kvitova continued to rely on her serve and hoped for errors from Kenin when returning. The second set saw both players maintaining solid service games, with neither being able to generate a break point opportunity until 4-4. Up until that point, neither had come close to breaking the other's serve.

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The Czech reduced her issues with double faults and hit 6 aces throughout the set. When Kenin was leading 5-4, Kvitova was under pressure to hold serve and stay in the match. That’s when they played the most contested game of the match, with the two-time Grand Slam champion saving a match point to stay in the match. Kvitova won the game to level the set at 5-5, keeping her hopes alive.

Kenin held her serve without too many problems, while once again, Kvitova had the responsibility to hold hers. However, this time, the errors cost her. The 35-year-old Czech player couldn't handle the pressure, conceding a couple of match points to the American, who took advantage of the opportunity to claim the victory 6-4, 7-5, eliminating the Czech. Kenin secures a tough challenge against World No. 3 Coco Gauff in the second round.

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