Rybakina Keeps Rolling, Ends Pegula’s Miami Masters Run To Reach Final; Kvitova v Cirstea Fri.

Elena Rybakina won her 13th straight match rallying from a break down twice in the second set to defeat American No. 1 Jessica Pegula 7-6(7-3), 6-4 to reach the Miami Masters final.

The 7th-ranked Rybakina fired 11 aces and broke Pegula six times. She won the last four games of the match from down 4-2.

Into her 13th career final, Rybakina will seek a 5th career title against the Friday winner between veterans Petra Kvitova and Sorana Cirstea.

Delayed from Wednesday, Kvitova reached her first Miami semifinal taking care of Ekaterina Alexandrova in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. There were just three breaks in the match with one by each player in each set.

“I have to say it was a tough one, for sure, especially mentally,” Kvitova said after. “Ekaterina played amazing. I would say she was really striking the ball very clearly, and it was really difficult to face some serves of hers.”

Kvitova leads Cirstea 6-4 winning last summer in Cincinnati.

“It’s nice to be playing somebody who is in as good form as me, so it will be a great matchup, for sure,” Kvitova said. “We played a few battles already during our years. We practiced here before the tournament started as well.

“It’s kind of nice, I have to say, that somebody over 30 as well is playing so nice. It’s nice, it’s fun. I’m happy for Sorana, how she’s playing with the run she has. Definitely would be nice to face her again.”