Last week’s Linz final kept Dominika Cibulkova’s five-year long career in the main draws of WTA tournaments dry of WTA titles after three finals, but just a week later the Slovakian changed that at the Premier-level Kremlin Cup. In her last three matches of the tournament, the world No.20 Cibulkova defeated players against whom she had negative head-to-head records – top seed Vera Zvonareva, Elena Vesnina and Kaia Kanepi. Now only Peng Shuai is a Top 20 player without a title to her name.

This is the best feeling I've ever had. It's the best day for me.

As seed No.8 Cibulkova was favorite on paper, but her opponent entered the final with a 2-0 record against her and with victories over two Grand Slam champions in the earlier matches – over Francesca Schiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova. Also, the 43rd-ranked Kanepi might have had less pressure, having added a title to her biography (last year in Palermo).

Kanepi was in charge at the start, winning the first set 6-3. The Estonian kept her serve throughout the second set and even had the victory at her grasp, but a bit of luck helped Cibulkova force a tiebreak, which she won 7-1. A string of breaks followed from 3-3 in the third set, and the 22-year-old Cibulkova was the first to hold her serve to win the match 3-6 7-6(1) 7-5 and $118,500 after two hours and 36 minutes. (photo via Kremlin Cup)

On October 16th in the final of the Generali Ladies Linz Dominika Cibulkova was playing for her maiden WTA title and lost to Petra Kvitova. Only a week has pasted and the 22-year-old is in another final, at the Premier Kremlin Cup and her opponent will be Estonian Kaia Kanepi.

Cibulkova and Peng Shuai are the only member of the Top 20 without titles, but the little Slovakian is positive about changing her discouraging  0-3 record in career finals:

I know I've lost all three of my previous finals including the one last week, but I feel if I continue playing the way I do now sooner or later I'll win one.

The world No.20 Cibulkova cruised past her semifinal opponent Elena Vesnina 6-0 6-2, a day after ousting top-seeded home favorite Vera Zvonareva 4-6 6-4 6-4. Kanepi upset two Grand Slam champions, Francesca Schiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova, before coming from a set down to topple Lucie Safarova 6-7(4) 6-4 6-3 in the semifinals.

Cibulkova and Kanepi played each other twice so far, including once this year, and Kanepi won in three sets both times. Also, the 43rd-ranked Kanepi, who used to be ranked 16th earlier this year, has one title to her name – Palermo 2010. (photo: Ralf Reinecke)

Petra Kvitova finally found her best form after the astonishing Wimbledon triumph and except a tough semifinal against Jelena Jankovic, the Czech pretty much cruised through the Generali Ladies Linz to win her fifth title this season. Her opponent in the final, Dominika Cibulkova, fell to 0-3 in career finals and remains one of only two Top 30 players who have still not won a WTA title.

From 4-4 in the first set, the world No.4 Kvitova won eight of the next nine games to win the final against Cibulkova and keep the Slovak's otherwise successful career without titles. Score: 6-4 6-1.

En route to the Linz title and the prize of $37,ooo, the top seeded Kvitova defeated Rebecca Marino 6-2 6-2 in the first round, Patricia Mayr-Achleitner 6-2 6-3 in the second round, eight seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-2 6-2 in the quarterfinals, third seed Jelena Jankovic 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the semis, and finally the seventh-seeded Cibulkova. (source: WTA Tour, photo: Ralf Reinecke)

At the Generali Ladies Linz against Petra Kvitova, Dominika Cibulkova, one of two Top 30 players without a title, will try to win her first first one in the Sunday's final. Her opponent Kvitova is currently enjoying a career-high ranking of No.4 and she's a holder of five titles, four of which came this season, including Wimbledon.

Cibulkova saved match points in her opener against Elena Baltacha, and actually her first three matches at the tournament were three-setters. Her semifinal against Lucie Safarova didn't follow the trend, as Cibulkova cruised to a 6-1 6-4 victory. The Slovak won 16 points in a row to take the first set.

Kvitova's semifinal opponent was Jelena Jankovic, who won the first set as Kvitova struggled to find her game. Kvitova was down 6-4 3-1 and then 6-4 3-4, when she took control with six straight games won for a 3-0 lead in the third set and she never looked back. Score: 4-6 6-4 6-3.

Cibulkova is yet to beat Kvitova. The Czech leads their head-to-head record 3-0. (via WTA Tour, photos: Ralf Reinecke)

Danish Caroline Wozniacki and Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova will play an exhibition match in the Slovakian capital Bratislava on November 21, 2011. Besides the WTA stars, two men's tennis veterans Henri Leconte and Mansour Bahrami will also take part.

Wozniacki and Cibulkova will first play against each other and then team up against Leconte and Mansour in doubles.

Cibulkova is now in the semifinals of the Generali Ladies Linz, where she will face Lucie Safarova. Wozniacki is not competing at the moment, she's preparing for the year-end Championships in Istanbul.

France's Henri Leconte was a Roland Garros singles finalist in 1988, and won the doubles title at the tournament in 1984. He held the singles ranking of No.5 and won nine career singles and ten doubles titles.

Mansour Bahrami was born in Iran and he went through a lot to become a tennis player, including going through a three-year period when all tennis courts in his country were closed down. (via Tennis Notebook, photos: Johan Rivera)