Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová showed she is ready to try for a third title by beating Donna Vekić 6-2, 7-6 (6) to win the Berlin Open on Sunday for her 31st career victory.
Kvitová saved three of the four break points she faced and converted four of her five opportunities as she won the match in 1 hour, 41 minutes for her sixth title on grass. She has won 12 of her last 13 matches on the surface going back to her title run in Eastbourne last season.
“I love grass, I love you,” Kvitova said at the Steffi Graf stadium. “I have to say big congrats to Donna. You played amazing tennis. Not only in the final but the whole week. It was exhausting yesterday and today.”
The 33-year-old Kvitová, who was playing in her 42nd final, wrapped up the first set in 33 minutes in her Berlin debut, but the second wasn’t as straightforward. Her double-fault gave Vekić the chance to break for a 2-1 lead.
Kvitová managed to break Vekić’s serve at 5-4 as she won three games in a row, leaving Vekić to hold serve at 6-5 down to stay in the match and force a tiebreak.
But Kvitová fought back again despite falling behind in the tiebreak.
“Every time I play you, you seem to go on and win the title,” Vekić told her experienced opponent. “At least this time it was in the final.”
Only Venus Williams, with 49 titles, has won more titles among active players than Kvitová.
Vekić had knocked out two top-10 opponents in No. 3 Elena Rybakina and No. 8 Maria Sakkari on her way to the Berlin decider.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Petra Kvitová beats Donna Vekić to win Berlin Open title
