Kvitova kinda likes winning

She's so close, but in my book (and this blog) she's World No. 1. Fuck what the WTA rankings say. Petra Kvitova's only a measly 115 points behind Caroline Wozniacki after ending the year with 6 titles including Wimbledon and the WTA Championships. She's riding Wozzi's ass the way Pocket Golf Boy wishes he could - hard. And, to top it all off, she led the Czech Republic to the FED CUP title with a 3-2 triumph over Russia this weekend. Props.

Obviously, the FED CUP win doesn't count towards the single rankings but it counts in other big ways besides a win for her country and the team. Look what winning Davis Cup last year did for Novak Djokovic this year. I'm not saying Kiva will go undefeated in the first part of next season and bag three majors, but it cemented her as THE lady baller of the WTA after a dismal post-Wimby stretch that ended indoors this fall. She has the all of the momentum going into 2012 after a spectacular end to 2011.

Is she flawless? Hardly. Kiva still has bouts of inconsistency, but where those moments used to do her in during big matches in key moments she's found a way to work through it and pull out the win. Hell, she's got the weapons to turn any match around in her favor. And let's face it: When she's on court with most lady ballers, save for the Sisters Sledge and, perhaps, Kim Clijsters, the match is in her hands.

And, at the end of the day, that's a nice place to be.

[Photo(s) credit: Kirill Kudryavtsev /AFP/Getty Images]