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Rising Japanese superstar Naomi Osaka has vowed to fight fatigue and compensate for her loss to Sloane Stephens in her WTA final debut in Singapore on Monday.
An error-prone Osaka struggled to keep pace and faded from Stephens, who won 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 in two hours and 25 minutes.
The 21-year-old took part in the season finale as a fit player, having won 14 of her previous 16 games and captured the US Open.
It's a whirlwind for Osaka since her superb win over Serena Williams at Flushing Meadows in New York in September.
"I did not go home [to Florida] since the US Open. So, of course, I would like to go home, but I'm here and I want to do well, "she said.
"I want to give them [fans] a good match to watch. So for me, it's my main priority and I'm not really tired of it. So, I just want to keep seeing where I can go. "
The world number four was visibly frustrated several times and dropped his racquet of disgust after failing to close the second set of the ninth match.
Osaka, who had 46 unresolved errors, said she hoped to be able to control her emotions in the future.
"I'm sorry for doing what I did," she said. "I think for me, I play better when no one knows what I think. I think I have learned a lot today.
Osaka has grown in popularity since his breakthrough in the Grand Slam and has had the crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium by his side.
"It was really great. I did not really expect it, "Osaka said of his support. "I heard a lot of cheers. I am really grateful. "
In an unpredictable encounter, the American overcame the stuttering of the second set to dominate the decision maker and impose 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 in two hours and 25 minutes.
Stephens weathered the heat better for an impressive win.
"It's really wet inside the stadium, so the game is a bit different," she said.
"Obviously playing with someone with a lot of confidence is always a difficult task, but I think I played well and kept a good attitude."
It was followed by another marathon match with eighth-seeded Kiki Bertens, who defeated first-seeded Angelique Kerber in a thrilling win at 1-6, 6-3, 6- 4.
The inferior seeded won all four games to start the WTA final.
In the last match, Bertens incredibly reversed the script after being a set and a breakdown. The Dutch player made a breach and ran the Wimbledon champion around the field to take control of the match.
The third set started with six consecutive breaks before Bertens moved away to crown a win. His aggressive approach saw him having a decisive lead of 33 to 11 among the winners.
"I had a slow start, but I'm really happy to have made it," she said. "I talked with my coach and we decided that I would try my shots and that I would play more aggressively."
Bertens qualified a few days before the tournament after world No. 1 Simona Halep pulled out after an injury that propelled Kerber to the front row.
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