WUHAN, China: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova ended her 13-month title drought with a straight set win over Dominika Cibulkova at the Wuhan Open on Sunday.
\nThe former world number two appeared to be in a hurry to secure the crown — her second in Wuhan — taking just over an hour to defeat Cibulkova 6-1, 6-1.
\nKvitova has had a year of stark highs and lows — scooping an Olympic bronze medal but failing to get further than the round of 16 at any of the Grand Slams.
\n“I need this kind of consistency all year, which to be honest, I don t think I can really do that. I m probably the player who has up and downs,” Kvitova told reporters after the final.
\n“I m happy that my ups, they are really high, which I love of course. The downs are very low, but that s how it is.”
\nThe year began with a split from coach of seven years David Kotyza and she has since taken an unconventional approach to her game and paired back her time on the practice court.
\n“I just reduced the practices and I feel a little bit better, more in love with the tennis or something,” she said.
\n“I mean, without the practicing, it s not possible. But I really need to find a balance, to have some time off to enjoy a day.”
\nAfter the run of early round exits at the start of the year, she appears to have turned the tide in China and the Wuhan title will see her move to 11th in the rankings when next week s leaderboard is released on Monday.
\nShe also has an outside chance of qualifying for her fifth consecutive WTA Final in Singapore. Cibulkova, meanwhile, is assured of a new career-high ranking on Monday — rising to number eight.
\nShe also now sits at number seven on the Road to Singapore leaderboard but needs a strong run in Beijing next week to guarantee her first ever qualification in the elite eight-player event.
\n“I m not thinking about Singapore that much because that would be a dream come true if I would get there,” said Cibulkova.
\n“I don t want to make too much pressure on myself.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WUHAN, China: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova ended her 13-month title drought with a straight set win over Dominika Cibulkova at the Wuhan Open on Sunday. The former world number two appeared to be in a hurry to secure the crown — her second in Wuhan — taking just over an hour to defeat Cibulkova […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4550","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n