Petra Kvitova said Caroline Garcia played like “a champion” and definitely deserved to win the Cincinnati title.
On Sunday, Kvitova failed to win her second title of the season after French qualifier Caroline Garcia handed her a 6-2 6-4 loss in the Cincinnati final.
“I didn’t bring the bigger trophy, but I think she really played very, very well. Caroline just, when she was down, she just served aces. That’s how it should be, how the champions are doing it, and I just didn’t do it today,” Kvitova told WTA insider.
Kvitova: “I didn’t bring the bigger trophy, but I think she really played very, very well. Caroline just, when she was down, she just served aces. That’s how it should be, how the champions are doing it, and I just didn’t do it today.”#CincyTennis
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 21, 2022
Garcia, 28, wrote tennis history by becoming the first qualifier to win a WTA 1000 event.
After the match, Kvitova was asked to explain how dangerous of an opponent Gacia can be.
“Well, actually, after the match there was a song, ‘The Girl is on Fire,’ right? I was, like, This is the best description of her (smiling),” Kvitova explained.
Q: “If you had to tell people how dangerous she is, what is it about her game that…
PETRA KVITOVA: Well, actually, after the match there was a song, “The Girl is on Fire,” right? I was, like, This is the best description of her (smiling).#CincyTennis
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 21, 2022
Kvitova didn’t stand much chance versus Garcia
Garcia got off to a very fast start to the match, claiming back-to-back breaks to open a 4-0 lead.
Kvitova did have her chances in the first set but she missed out on two break points in the second game and didn’t realize two more break points in the sixth game.
In the eighth game, Garcia realized her first set point to win the opener.
After winning the first set, Garcia started the second set with a break in the very opening game of the set.
Just like it was the case in the first set, Kvitova just couldn’t realize her break point chances.
Garcia, who saved a break point in the fourth game and three more break points in the sixth game, served out for the match in the 10th game.
“We know [Kvitova is] a big hitter, trying to move you as soon as she can and putting pressure on the return,” Garcia said. “So the plan was definitely to not let her do that, which is not always easy, but that was the plan.”