Petra Kvitova beats Elena Rybakina to win Miami Open title and return to top 10

Petra Kvitova drew on all her experience to claim her 30th WTA singles title with a straight sets Miami Open victory over Elena Rybakina on Saturday.

Czech Kvitova, appearing in her first Miami final at the age of 33, triumphed 7-6, 6-2 at Hard Rock Stadium, a victory which will return the veteran to the top 10 in the world rankings.

Rybakina came into the final on a career-best 13-match winning streak after winning the title at Indian Wells and was looking for the rare 'sunshine double' of both WTA Masters events.

It was a tight, serve-dominated battle until Kvitova broke to go 5-4 up but Rybakina, who represents Kazakhstan, immediately broke back.

The tiebreak was a thrilling 22-minute, 30-point shootout in which two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova saved five set points to emerge triumphant when Rybakina returned to the net.

Kvitova took that momentum into the second set, breaking early to go 2-0 up and from then on she never looked like letting her opponent, 11 years her junior, back into the contest.

Rybakina couldn't convert a break point in the next game and then she herself was broken again when serving to stay in the match at 5-2 down.

Kvitova, who has now won 30 of 41 career finals, said the tie-break had turned the contest in her direction.

"I'm still surprised. I think the tiebreak really decided the whole match in the end ... it was probably the longest in my career and somehow I managed it," she said.

"(She hit) so many aces at the beginning of the tie-break, I was like oh my God, I couldn't even play, so it was a little difficult," added Kvitova, who now has nine WTA 1000 titles.

"I had to slowly serve it out very well today and I am glad I made it in the end but to be honest I have no idea how I did it."