(MENAFN- QNA) Maria Sharapova outlasted Petra Kvitova 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 to win the China Open and return to No 2 in the rankings.
With the win, the 27-year-old will jump over Simona Halep and Kvitova to the No 2 spot in the rankings, behind Serena Williams.
It was a battling performance from the Russian world number four, who will rise to number two in the rankings following her hard-fought 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win in Beijing, Kvitova's first loss in nine games.
The fourth seed appeared to have carried into the final the determination she showed in her powerful 6-0, 6-4 semi-final defeat of Serbian world number nine Ana Ivanovic.
Kvitova, the world number three, broke serve in the first game, but Sharapova fought back to force three break-points in the fourth, before deservedly breaking serve at the next opportunity.
It was Sharapova's fifth successive victory over Kvitova, who would have risen to world number two had she taken the title, following her triumph in the inaugural Wuhan Open last week.
After Kvitova fell three games behind in the third, she won the next two games.
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