Kvitova edges Alexandrova to reach Miami semifinals for first time

In her 13th main-draw showing at the Miami Open, Petra Kvitova has broken new ground.

No.15 seed Kvitova is into the Miami semifinals for the first time in her career after a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova on Thursday, in the last singles quarterfinal of the 2023 edition.

The power-hitting pair was supposed to square off on Wednesday night before rain completely washed out their match. On a relatively drier Thursday, it was Kvitova who prevailed after 2 hours and 12 minutes to claim the last spot in the semifinal lineup.

Miami breakthrough: Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova was in her fourth Miami quarterfinal, but she had never progressed beyond that round.

Kvitova previously fell at this stage of the event to three different players, each of whom reached No.1: Maria Sharapova in 2014, Ashleigh Barty in 2019, and Iga Swiatek last year. Barty and Swiatek went on to win the Miami Open title those years as well.

Alexandrova gave a solid account for herself on Thursday, but Kvitova would not be denied this time around, dropping serve only once to hold onto a close victory and improve to 2-0 against Alexandrova.

This is Kvitova’s 20th career WTA 1000 semifinal, in her 99th WTA 1000 main draw. She becomes one of just seven players to notch 20 or more WTA 1000 semifinals since the tier started in 2009 — and the first left-hander to do so.

Cirstea awaits: Kvitova’s semifinal opponent will be a familiar foe: Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, who earned her career-best win by ranking on Wednesday when she shocked World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals.

Kvitova and Cirstea, both born in 1990, have already met ten times in their lengthy careers, with Kvitova holding a slim 6-4 advantage in their head-to-head.

Kvitova won their last meeting in Cincinnati last year, but Cirstea has already beaten Kvitova once en route to a WTA 1000 final, in the 2013 Toronto quarterfinals.

More to come…