Kvitova extends unbeaten run with win over Pliskova

Petra Kvitova made it 10 wins in a row as she beat fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova to reach the final of the Madrid Open.

Both women went into the semifinal on nine-match winning streaks but it was Kvitova who extended her unbeaten run with a 7-6(4) 6-3 victory.

The two-time Madrid champion will face Kiki Bertens in the final, after the unseeded Dutchwoman beat French seventh seed Caroline Garcia 6-2 6-2.

???? in a row!@Petra_Kvitova will face @kikibertens in the @MutuaMadridOpen
Final!

Defeats Pliskova 7-6(4), 6-3 pic.twitter.com/rUXdn96xWW

— WTA (@WTA) May 11, 2018

Kvitova, who won the Prague Open last week and is looking for her fourth title of 2018, made it three wins out of three against Pliskova in their first meeting for three years.

Pliskova twice led by a break in the first set but could not serve out at 5-4, and was made to regret the wasted opportunity when she handed over the tiebreak with back-to-back double faults.

Kvitova remained the more solid on serve, saving three break points in game four while breaking twice to take the second set.

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Bertens gave further evidence that she is a serious threat on clay with a one-sided win over Garcia.

The world No.20, who earlier knocked out second seed Caroline Wozniacki, broke serve four times and did not face a single break point as she won in 67 minutes.

“I’m really happy with the way I played,” Bertens told wtatour.com. “I think it was maybe not great tennis, what people want to see with a lot of winners.

“I’m in the final now. I have a chance tomorrow, but it’s going to be really, really, really tough.”