Kvitova beats Li, claims Montreal title

Montreal, QC – Petra Kvitova needed three sets to best Li Na and claim the title Monday night at the $2.168 million Rogers Cup tennis event.

The fifth-seeded Czech dispatched No. 10 seeded Li, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 on the hardcourts at Uniprix Stadium.

Last year's Wimbledon champ upped her career record in tournament finals to 8-2 by taking down her Chinese counterpart in two hours and 16 minutes, and in the process finally recorded her first title of 2012

"It's great to know I can play well here and it's great I finally won a title this year. I'm so glad it could be here at the Rogers Cup in Montreal," Kvitova said.

The 30-year-old Li, who was last year's French Open champion, fell to 5-8 in career finals, including runner-up finishes in Sydney and Rome this year. She also failed to capitalize on a victory over Kvitova in a Sydney semifinal back in January.

Li won the first 16 points of the 32-minute second set, but couldn't overcome Kvitova.

"I didn't really realize - but that was really good tennis from her," Kvitova said. "Between the second and third sets, when I was in the locker room changing my clothes, I knew I had to be the first one to attack the balls and play much faster than in the second set. I also needed a higher first serve percentage."

Kvitova, 22, claimed $385,000 with the big win.