Garcia goes from qualifier to champion

Caroline Garcia rounded off a long week by beating Petra Kvitova 6-2 6-4 to claim the Cincinnati Open title and become the first qualifier to win a WTA Tour 1000 tournament.

After battling through qualifying, Garcia beat three top-10 world-ranked opponents, Maria Sakkari, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula, to reach Sunday’s final.

Once there, she delivered a masterclass against the Czech player, twice the Wimbledon champion.

Leading the WTA Tour in aces and second in break points saved, the 28-year-old Frenchwoman relied on her big weapons to clinch her third title of the season.

In all, she sent down 11 aces and saved all eight break points she faced against the 32-year-old Kvitova.

Since coming back from a foot injury in May, Garcia has won three events on three different surfaces: clay in Warsaw, where she beat world No.1 Iga Swiatek, grass in Bad Homburg and hardcourt in Cincinnati.

“It’s hard to believe I am standing here today, it has been such a week,” Garcia told the crowd. “I saw something today that it was your (Kvitova’s) 40th career final and I was like OK, imagine that.”

Under threatening skies, Garcia started with a break, helped by a pair of double faults by Kvitova, who again struggled with her serve.

In her semi-final she served three double faults in the opening game to gift Madison Keys an early break before fighting back to win in three sets.

But there would be no escape against Garcia, who piled on the pressure with a second break to sweep the opening four games.

Garcia carried on in the second set as she again broke Kvitova at the first opportunity and held for a quick 2-0 lead when Kvitova called for a medical time-out.

Kvitova returned to the court with no noticeable strapping but Garcia was not be distracted, holding serve the rest of the way to clinch her 10th career title.