Petra Kvitova: "Good to have nerves, it means I'm caring"
Petra Kvitova claimed that having nerves was a good thing, as it meant that she cared about playing good tennis.
The two-time Wimbledon champion's good form continued as she reached the Miami Open final for the very first time in her career with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Sorana Cirstea in the semifinals.
Kvitova had a break down in the opening set and trailed 5-2 before winning five successive games and taking it 7-5. She then broke Cirstea in the opening game of the second set, which was enough to see her win it 6-4 and reach her 13th WTA 1000 final.
The Czech spoke to Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj after the match and was asked about how she and other great players dealt with nervousness.
"I think it's good to have nerves. When I'm nervous, even before the match, it means I am caring, playing better tennis. I am happy to be in a final for sure. Always, deeper in the tournament, I am playing better and better. So, that's good, I'm happy for that," Petra Kvitova said.
"Elena Rybakina is playing amazing, she is on fire"- Petra Kvitova
After getting past Sorana Cirstea, Petra Kvitova will next take on 10th seed Elena Rybakina in the Miami Open final. Rybakina won the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and is currently on a 13-match winning streak.
The two will lock horns for the third time, with their head-to-head record currently tied at 1-1.
Kvitova was asked how she would take on the Kazakh, and she responded by claiming that her opponent was "on fire". The Czech added that she would have to play aggressively in the final, which could come down to a few points.
"It will be a great match definitely. We've played two times already, it's 1-1, Elena is playing amazing, she is on fire, good form, what can I say? Just have to serve it very well, try to play aggressive. I think it will be about a few points," Kvitova said.
Rybakina will become the 12th player to complete the Sunshine Double if she wins on Saturday, while Kvitova will become the first Czech player to win the Miami Open since Ivan Lendl in 1989 if she is victorious. The latter will also make a return to the Top 10 of the WTA rankings if she comes out on top.