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Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer gave herself an early birthday present by beating Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-4 in the final of WTA Linz.

The third-seeded Belgian, who will turn 20 on Tuesday, was always ahead in what was a mediocre final.

After holding off a break point in the opening game, Wickmayer broke to lead 2-0 when Kvitova made the first of her three double-faults.

Kvitova then broke in the fifth game with a fine forehand winner, but Wickmayer regained the advantage by breaking for 5-3 and serving out the set.

After an exchange of breaks to begin the second set, Wickmayer broke to lead 3-2 when a fiercely-struck forehand forced an error from Kvitova.

"We were both playing pretty solid," said Wickmayer, before driving to compete in Luxembourg.

"We served well. She played really aggressive the way I thought she was going to play.

"I just tried to focus on my own service games again, trying to serve as good as possible and to keep my first serve percentage up high because she was really putting a lot of pressure in my second serve.

"On her service games I tried to focus and make her work really hard for every point, and hang in there and go for every point. I knew the key today was to be mentally the toughest one on the important points, and I think that's what happened today."

Kvitova said that, despite what Wickmayer had thought, she did not play aggressively because she felt below par.

"I think I played my worst here, in the final," said Kvitova.

"I didn't feel good so maybe that's why. I wasn't 100 per cent so that's why I made many mistakes. I'm not sick. Maybe it's because I played five matches and I'm tired.

"But she played well, very good backhands crosscourt and on the line, and she has a very good serve. She played hard and I was on the defensive all the time."

AFP