World number three Petra Kvitova won her second WTA title of 2019 as she beat Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) in the final of the tournament in Stuttgart yesterday. The Czech star, a two-time Wimbledon champion and runner-up at the Australian Open in January, succeeds compatriot Karolina Pliskova as champion at the clay-court event.
Kvitova thanked the fans and her coaches, who did not join her in Stuttgart this week. “It was amazing to see the arena full every day,” she said. “My coaches were not actually here, so I’m looking forward to seeing them again.” 
Having won the Sydney International in January, Kvitova is the first woman to win two titles in 2019, after all of the first 18 WTA competitions of the year were won by different players. “Congratulations Petra, you are a real role model,” said Kontaveit.

Martic fights back to 
win first WTA title
Croatian sixth seed Petra Martic battled back from a set down to win her first WTA title in Istanbul final against Marketa Vondrousova. Martic, the world number 40, had lost both her previous top-level finals, but saw off Czech teenager Vondrousova 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 in Turkey.
The 28-year-old had come through the longest match of the year in her quarter-final against Kristina Mladenovic earlier in the week, but had enough energy to brush off a poor opening set. Vondrousova, 19, has now lost two WTA finals this season after her defeat by Alison Van Uytvanck in Budapest in February, and is still to add to her first title in Switzerland two years ago.