Petra Kvitova fought back from a set down against Garbine Muguruza on Sunday to win the Qatar Open, a victory which will take her back into the world’s top 10.
Kvitova overcame an awful start which saw her lose the first five games to eventually triumph 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
It is the first time Kvitova has been ranked among the world’s elite since a horrific knife attack at her home in December 2016 left her with an injured hand.
The win in Doha is the Czech star’s second title of the season and 22nd career tournament victory. It also extended her current winning streak to 13 matches.
Asked about being back in the top 10, Kvitova replied: “I remember sometime last year when I was asked about this, I couldn’t even dream of it,” she said. “It’s a very special feeling to be back.”
Despite the defeat, Muguruza will move up one position in the rankings, making her the World No. 3.
South Africa’s Kevin Anderson bagged only the fourth title of his career with a three-set victory over Sam Querrey to claim the ATP Tour New York Open on Sunday. Anderson played flawlessly in the third set tie-break to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(1) ending Querrey’s hopes of a title on home soil.
Anderson, who lost in the final of the US Open last September, expressed delight at bucking a trend which has seen him lose in 11 finals. “I’ve been to quite a few finals and if it doesn’t go your way it’s pretty tough to deal with,” Anderson said. “It means a lot to me that I was able to come through.”
In Buenos Aires, top seed Dominic Thiem won his second Argentina Open in three years on Sunday.
The 24-year-old Austrian beat Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 31 minutes to extend his perfect record at the tournament, having captured the trophy also in 2016.
It was the World No. 6’s first title in nearly a year, since winning in Rio last February, and the ninth of his career. Thiem is just the third man in the last 30 years to win multiple titles in the Argentine capital after David Ferrer (2012-14) and Carlos Moya (1995, 2003, 2006).
The results (all finals):
WTA Qatar Open: Petra Kvitova bt Garbine Muguruza 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
ATP New York Open: Kevin Anderson bt Sam Querrey 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(1).
ATP Argentina Open: Dominic Thiem bt Aljaz Bedene 6-2, 6-4 .
