It was the first time the 33-year-old Czech managed to win in Florida, where she showed more solidity and consistency to beat 7-6 (16/14), 6-2 the Kazakhstani (7th) appeared somewhat at the end of the race on the physical level, after more than three weeks of chaining victories.

The two-time Wimbledon champion in 2011 and 2014, who succeeds Poland's Iga Swiatek on the list, wins her ninth title in a tournament in this category, located just below the Grand Slams, five years after the previous one won in Madrid. Enough to return to the top 10 on Monday, according to the WTA projection.

The second oldest player to win in Miami, behind Serena Williams who had 166 days more when she was crowned in 2015, Kvitova had promised to "fight like hell" to meet the challenge offered by Rybakina, whose momentum indeed seemed irresistible, two weeks after her victory in Indian Wells and two months after her final. certainly lost, at the Australian Open.

But the 23-year-old Kazakhstani has evolved a tone below what she has proposed in recent weeks, without this taking away any merit from her rival.

In the first set, both players were very solid on their commitments, until 4-4, the moment chosen by Kvitova to break the first. A very short-lived ascendancy because Rybakina, who is not the type to panic with her back to the wall - she saved a match ball at the beginning of the tournament, before toppling the Spaniard Paula Badosa - immediately returned the favor.

30 titles in 41 finals

The decision was made in the decisive game, also very close, during which the direct faults weighed more than the winning shots. And it was after 22 minutes and 30 points that the Czech was a little less feverish, converting her fifth set ball - the Kazakhstani wasted as much, despite five aces placed (12 in total).

Czech Petra Kvitova celebrates a point won against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami, on April 1, 2023 in Florida © AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

"I'm still surprised. I think the tie-break really decided the fate of the match... It was probably the longest of my career and I managed to win it," she said with a smile.

In the aftermath, Kvitova broke Rybakina at the beginning of the second set, a preamble to a lone rider since her opponent dropped down, creating only one opportunity to break, missed.

The latter will especially regret this tie-break that could have turned in her favor. But even if she fails to join Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek in the closed club of "Sunshine Double", which consists of victoriously chaining Indian Wells and Miami, her American spring has something to delight her, because it confirms her emergence at the top of world tennis, recorded by her triumph at Wimbledon last year.

For their third encounter, the Czech, who now leads 2-1, was simply on top.

Czech Petra Kvitova (R) greets Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina after her victory in the WTA 1000 final in Miami, on April 1, 2023 in Florida © AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Signing a nice return to the foreground, she now has 30 trophies to her credit for 41 finals played. A remarkable ratio that makes her the most successful player on the circuit still active behind the American Venus Williams (49).

© 2023 AFP