Saturday 27 September 2014 14:28, UK
Petra Kvitova confirmed her place in next month's season-ending WTA Finals after beating Eugenie Bouchard in a repeat of their lopsided Wimbledon final at the inaugural Wuhan Open.
The Czech, who brushed aside the Canadian for the loss of just three games in just 55 minutes at the All England Club in the summer, secured her third title of the year with a hard-fought 6-3 6-4 success this time around.
Kvitova broke the world No 9 in the second game and maintained her three-game lead to clinch the first set.
She then broke early in the second set to go up 2-0, but seemed to lose her rhythm after Bouchard injured her finger during a rally and began mixing up the pace on her shots.
Kvitova was broken while serving for the match at 5-2, but quickly recovered to put the young Canadian away.
She's beaten me in two finals this year, so I will have to figure out what to do to beat her now.
"From the beginning my season was really tough," Kvitova said after qualifying for her fourth successive WTA Finals.
"If somebody told me at the Australian Open that I would win Wimbledon and still be fighting for Singapore, I'm not sure I would have believed them.
"But I've had a great second part of the season. It all started a little bit at the French Open, and from there I just kept improving."
The victory was Kvitova's third over Bouchard in three meetings and also means the left-hander will retain her position as world No 3.
"She's beaten me in two finals this year, so I will have to figure out what to do to beat her now," said Bouchard.
Kvitova also secured her spot in Singapore at the end of October, joining Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Maria Sharapova.
Five-time grand slam singles champion Martina Hingis could also earn a place in Singapore, but in doubles.
The 33-year-old Swiss and Italian Flavia Pennetta landed the Wuhan title together, beating Zimbabwean Cara Black and France's Caroline Garcia 6-4 5-7 12-10.
Victory puts Hingis and Pennetta in contention for a top-eight finish in the Road to Singapore, and they will look to edge closer next week at the China Open.
