Osaka opens account at the WTA Finals
Naomi Osaka outlasted Petra Kvitova in a three-set marathon for a droughtbreaking victory at the WTA Finals yesterday. Opening the round-robin tournament, in Shenzhen, the world No 3 battled to a 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 39 minutes. It was the Japanese star’s first victory at the 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. The French Open champion Ashleigh Barty defeated Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in the other Red Group clash. The win saw her her become Australia’s first year-end No.1 since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002.