In-form Naomi Osaka outlasted Petra Kvitova in a three-set marathon for a drought-breaking victory at WTA Finals on Sunday. Opening USD 14 million round-robin tournament, first in sourn Chinese city of Shenzhen, world .3 regrouped from several lethargic stretches to win 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 39 minutes. It was Japanese sensation's first victory at WTA Finals after a winless campaign in her debut appearance last year and stretched her current winning streak to 11 matches having claimed titles in Osaka and Beijing.

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Osaka after her morale-boosting win

"She started going hard at me from beginning and I just h to just to it," Osaka said after match.
 

In a rematch of this year's tense Australian Open final, world .6 Kvitova came out with intent until she stuttered in eighth game of opening set with three double faults to squander game.Osaka held off two break points in ninth game before dominating tiebreak to draw first blood.It seemed to shake Czech's confidence but Kvitova, oldest player in draw, impressively clawed back in second set and took vant of an error-strewn Osaka who several times slammed her racquet in frustration.A refocused Osaka put foot down in deciding set but could t convert two match points in eighth game before finally closing it out in 10th to issue a statement to her rivals in Red Group.

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Osaka maintains unbeaten record

22-year-old maintained her unbeaten record over Kvitova having won ir only previous clash in a three-set classic in Melbourne. event's move to China, after a five-year run in Singapore, is highlighted by a record prize pool in tennis with winner receiving up to USD 4.725 million.

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