Petra Kvitova credits her work with her new fitness trainer, Marek Vseticek, as one of the reasons she was able to win her second title of the year when she beat Angelique Kerber in the Tokyo final.
The 23-year-old Czech is believed to have caught about seven different viruses since the start of 2012. After suffering a virus and falling to Alison Riske in the U.S. Open third round, she went back home and began to work with her new trainer, who once worked with Australian Open champion Petr Korda and currently works with her boyfriend, Czech player Radek Stepanek.
“We did 14 days of running and exercises and I felt a little better on the court and hope it helps me the rest of the reason,” said Kvitova, who will rise to No. 7 when the new rankings are released, in a television interview after the match.