Kvitova powers past Cibulkova to capture Wuhan Open title

Published October 1, 2016
Petra Kvitova kisses the trophy after winning the final of the WTA Wuhan Open tennis tournament — AFP
Petra Kvitova kisses the trophy after winning the final of the WTA Wuhan Open tennis tournament — AFP

Petra Kvitova raced to a 6-1 6-1 victory over Dominika Cibulkova in the Wuhan Open final on Saturday to capture her first title of the year with a ruthless display of power hitting.

The victory secured a second Wuhan title for the 14th-seeded Czech and moves Kvitova up to 12th place in the race to qualify for the season-ending eight-woman WTA Finals in Singapore after a campaign hampered by illness.

The two-time Wimbledon champion, who knocked out world number one Angelique Kerber in the last 16, took a stranglehold of the match from the onset, losing just one point in the first four games as she blazed through the first set.

Cibulkova, who had won her previous two meetings against the Czech, played four three-setters in five matches en route to the final and fatigue appeared to catch up with the 10th-seeded Slovak as she managed just two winners in the entire contest.

With the first set under her belt, Kvitova refused to take her foot of the gas as she smashed 28 winners in the match to coast to victory in a little more than an hour.

Despite her heavy defeat, Cibulkova will move up to a career-high eighth in the world rankings when they are released on Monday, while Kvitova will climb up to 11th.

Opinion

Editorial

Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....
Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...