Kvitova edges Li for first title of 2012

Former world No. 2 Petra Kvitova secured her first WTA Tour title of 2012 by defeating former French Open champion Li Na in Monday's final of the Rogers Cup.

Key to the Czech Republic's 7-5 2-6 6-3 victory was her decisive break of serve in the final set to condemn her Chinese opponent to a third final loss of the year -- following Li's reverses in Sydney and Rome.

It was Kvitova's first appearance in a final this season and the win meant she won a Tour event for the first time since the season-ending championships in Istanbul last October.

"The first set was a really big fight -- every game was very close," world No. 5 Kvitova told the WTA Tour's official website.

"Maybe I was a little bit lucky to win the first set. She played very well in the second set. She was very aggressive without any mistakes."

Kvitova's triumph in Montreal was all the more impressive considering the 22-year-old suffers from asthma, which usually adversely affects her performances in North America due to the summer humidity.