Kvitova, Cibulkova Set Up Wuhan Final Showdown

September 30, 2016 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff


Credit photo to Calvin Rhoden

Petra Kvitova continued her lights-out play at the Wuhan Open, dismissing fourth-seed Simona Halep 6-1, 6-2 to reach the tournament’s final.

Kvitova hit a blistering 28 winners to just four for Halep, and was in control of the match from the very start. She set up seven break points in the opening set, converting on two of them and winning 84 percent of her first serve points to cruise in the opening set.

Her outstanding form continued into the second set, once again converting on two break points while saving the only two she faced to move past Halep in just one hour and seven minutes.

In Friday’s other semifinal in Wuhan, 10th seed Dominika Cibulkova came back from a set down to beat ninth-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, booking a spot in the final and also securing a spot back in the top 10.

“It feels great. I’m really tired right now, but the feeling to be in the final is unbelievable, and that’s why I love it,” said Cibulkova. “It’s just a great win for me today.”

Kvitova leads the all-time head to head 4-2 between these two, but the two haven’t met since Indian Wells in 2014. 


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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