New Haven Open 2012: Tournament Win Will Help Petra Kvitova Succeed at US Open

Petra Kvitova will enter the US Open with lots of confidence after winning the 2012 New Haven Open title on Saturday over Maria Kirilenko 7-6 (9), 7-5.

She is now the fifth-ranked women's tennis player in the world, and will be a top contender at the US Open in New York.

Top players such as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka will all have to be aware of Kvitova's chances to win the final Grand Slam tournament of the season.

Kvitova has been quite competitive in Grand Slam tournaments over the last few years, but her 2011 Wimbledon singles title is still the only Grand Slam victory on her resume.

In her last six Grand Slam tournaments, the Russian star has one victory, two semifinal, and one quarterfinal appearance.

However, the US Open has not been an event that she has enjoyed much success in. Kvitova has never advanced past the fourth round in New York, and was knocked out in the first round last year to finish her Grand Slam pursuit in disappointing fashion.

Coming into the US Open following a victory will be beneficial for Kvitova, who at 22 years old still needs to focus on the mental aspect of the game just as much as the physical part.

The only concern for Kvitova is her stamina, since she expended a lot of energy in this final and the US Open starts this week.

However, there's no question that this tournament victory will give her some nice momentum heading into the US Open. Kvitova has one last chance to win a Grand Slam singles title in 2012, and if she plays her best, she will give Williams a real challenge.