Kvitova Wins Year End Championships

Petra Kvitova is the 2011 WTA champion, winning the battle of top 8 players at the year end championships in Istanbul, Turkey.  She adds another important title to an already career year that includes now 6 titles including her first major at Wimbledon.  She will be the year end world no. 2 behind Wozniacki, with Azarenka also moving past Sharapova to end no. 3.  Kvitova defeated Azarenka in the final 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 with Stosur and Zvonareva the losing semifinalists.  This was Kvitova's 7th career title.  She may well be the player to beat in 2012 even if Serena and Clijsters return to tennis.

On the men's side, the final 250 events of 2011 took place.  In a battle of the top two seeds in Vienna, Austria, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga emerged victorious after defeating Juan Martin Del Potro in the final 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4.  It is the French #1's second title of the year and the 7th of his career.  He moves up to #7 in year to date points and increasing his chances of qualifying for London.

In St. Petersburg, Russia, Marin Cilic denied Janko Tisparevic the Russian double, defeating the Serb in the final 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.  It is the Croat's 6th career title but his first since '10 Zagreb, coming up on 2 years ago.  This was however, Cilic's fourth final of the year.

Now the tour goes to Basel and Valencia (500s) with many of the top names getting back involved.  Djokovic, Murray, and Federer are all in Basel while Ferrer is the top seed in Valencia.  Fish, Tsonga, and Berdych all look to separate themselves from Almagro, Del Potro, and Tipsarevic and clinch their spots in the top 8 for the World Tour Finals in London.