Eight seed Madison Keys overcame a second set blunder to battle past Petra kvitova 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(5), in the quarter-finals of the Beijing Open.
The encounter was a rematch of the bronze medal play-off at the Rio Olympic Games earlier this year between the two, where Keys lost in three sets to miss a medal. Eager for revenge, the American produced an almost faultless opening set with just one unforced error. Hitting the ball aggressively, Keys managed to grab a crucial break for 5-3 thanks to a costly unforced error from Kvitova as she closed the set out with ease.
Keys seemed destined for a straight sets triumph when she broke two further times in the following set to lead the match 6-3, 4-2. Despite the dominant position, Kvitova refused to be crushed after her recent run of fine form, which took her to the Wuhan title last week. Producing her best tennis whilst under pressure, the two-time Wimbledon champion rallied her way back to force a tiebreak. The tiebreak was a one way show with Kvitova dictating the points and bossing her rapidly faltering rival around the court as a deciding set swiftly approached.
Carrying the momentum with her, Kvitova delay match proceedings as she took a four-minute bathroom break. The break enabled Keys to regroup as an error-stricken service game from the Czech enabled the eighth seed to race to a 3-0 lead. Still the lead was not enough to tame Kvitova as she once again roared her way back by giving Keys a taste of her own medicine after clinching three consecutive games to level 3-3. She then had a triple break point chance for a crucial 5-4 lead, but failed to capitalize in the roller coaster encounter as both players battled towards a decisive tiebreak.
With a place in the last four of the final WTA Premier tournament of the season lurking, both players displayed their worthiness as they traded breaks. Ultimately, it was Keys who survived the onslaught after a backhand down the line elevated her to a match point. The win was sealed when a serve from the American was returned out by Kvitova.
First #WTA Premier Mandatory Semifinal for @Madison_Keys! #ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/dhAescXJ4B
— WTA (@WTA) 7 October 2016
After ending Kvitova’s eight match winning streak, Keys is now just one win away from securing her place in the WTA Finals in Singapore.
“She made it really tough today.” Keys said in her press conference. “(I’m) happy that at the end I was able to get my serve back on track and get myself ahead in the Tiebreak.”
Madison Keys’ record in 3 set matches:
2014: 6-10
2015: 7-8
2016: 17-5— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) 7 October 2016
