Garcia Makes History, Beats Kvitova To Become First Qualifier To Win Cincinnati Masters

Emma Raducanu did it last year at the US Open, and now Caroline Garcia did at a Masters event. That is going from qualifying to champion! This afternoon, Garcia capped her incredible run and summer by overpowering Petra Kvitova 6-2, 6-2 to win the Cincinnati Masters title.

The win was her 10th career title and third at this Masters 1000 level. And since June 1, she has won 27 matches, most of anyone on tour and has titles on all three surfaces this summer.

“Pure joy, I think,” Garcia said after the 1 hour, 48 minute win. “Just happiness. Every single win is very important. Every title is very special, [WTA] 250, 1000, it’s always very hard to describe it. It’s not happening so often, and you have to really enjoy it. I’m really grateful for this great week of tennis, and to win another title, it’s very special. ”

Along the way, Garcia won eight matches including victories over three Top 10s: Maria Sakkari, Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka. In her first round of qualifying, the Frenchwoman was down a set to countrywoman Diane Parry.

In the final, she never dropped serve saving all eight break points faced.

“Every match, every day was a new day, new challenge. Every time I had to be focused on myself, on my game, what can I do, how I can be more aggressive, how can I improve. Just one day at a time I ended up here today in the final and now lifting the trophy,” the 35th-ranked Garcia added.

“The 1000, everything goes so fast. You have to refocus every morning. It’s a tough challenge, but I’m really happy the way we made it through.”

Garcia improves to 10-3 in WTA finals. Kvitova was playing her in 40th career final, and was seeking her 30th title.

“It was definitely not the result I wanted, but if someone had told me I would be in the final I would be very happy,” said Kvitova who needed leg treatment in the second set.

“I have to see the positive things, I could have been out in my first match,. I have to be proud of the 40th final of my career.

“I didn’t win the bigger trophy, but she really played very, very well.

“Caroline just, when she was down, she just served aces. She deserved to win.”

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