AFP
Beijing, China
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic defeated Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in straight sets to take the title at the $2.2-million WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai on Sunday.
Number three seed Kvitova dispatched the fourth seed 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and ten minutes, a month after she marked a return to form by winning the Wuhan Open. "China's a lucky place for me! It's an amazing week and I'm really lucky I was able to compete here," Kvitova said in her victory speech, according to the WTA website.
The 26-year-old has now reached six Asian finals and won three of them. Svitolina, 22, was looking to end what had been a promising season on a high, but was unable to hold any of her first three service games.
"I just felt that she played a little bit aggressively than me in the beginning of the match," Kvitova said in her post-match interview. "So I was a little bit trying to get the rhythm to play a little bit more aggressive, maybe a little bit longer rallies, that I can go to the game and be able to play."
The title comes in a year of stark highs and lows for the Czech, who scooped an Olympic bronze medal but failed to get further than the round of 16 at any of the Grand Slams.
