JOIN USWorld number one Novak Djokovic destroyed Tomas Berdych in a lop-sided contest to win his fifth China Open crown on Sunday while Maria Sharapova overcame Petra Kvitova 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in the women's final to move up to number two in the world rankings.
Top seed Djokovic took 66 minutes to seal a 6-0, 6-2 win against Berdych, who raised his arms in celebration when he won a game to avoid the ignominy of a double bagel with the Serb leading 6-0, 5-0 and serving for the match.
Berdych managed to win back-to-back games, but it was just a matter of time before Djokovic sealed an easy win to continue his love affair with the Beijing tournament where he now has a 24-0 record.
Earlier in the women's final, Wimbledon champion Kvitova broke her opponent in the very first game but Sharapova showed greater intensity towards the end to prevail in a contest that lasted two hours and 28 minutes.
French Open champion Sharapova broke her Czech opponent twice to claim the first set, but Kvitova unleashed 15 winners in the second to force a decider.
Sharapova, having dropped her first set in the tournament, raised her game in the third, racing to a 3-0 lead but could not capitalise on her first match point at 5-2 with an inside out forehand into the net.
She eventually served out the match and raised her hands in celebration after Kvitova buried a return into the net.
"It was a bit of an up-and-down match I'd say -- maybe not the best out of the tournament," Sharapova told reporters.
"But it's never easy playing against Petra. You don't always quite get a good rhythm. She goes for a lot of shots, very deep, and she's a very good, confident player.
Kvitova, who won in Wuhan last week, conceded she had succumbed to fatigue towards the end of the contest.
Nishikori claims title
Local hero Kei Nishikori claimed his second Japan Open title on Sunday, overcoming familiar foe Milos Raonic 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4 in the final under a closed roof at the Ariake Colosseum.
The US Open finalist clinched the first set via a tiebreak before the big-serving Raonic, who sent down 22 aces in the match compared to his opponent's one, roared back into the contest to force a decider.
The pair held firm on their serve until Nishikori got a crucial break in the 10th game to repeat the outcome of the 2012 Tokyo final in two hours and 13 minutes.
"It has been incredible and I think this is the first time I have won two weeks in a row," said Nishikori, who has been troubled by hip and lower back problems this week. This was Raonic's third successive defeat in the final of the tournament, while the win put Nishikori fifth in the race to the season-ending ATP Finals in London, which will feature the top eight players.
"I'm getting close (to making the ATP Finals) but there are two more Masters and one more 500, so these three weeks are going to be really important for me," said Nishikori, who had tears in his eyes when he hugged coach Michael Chang.