Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova squared off on Sunday in the final of the China Open with the world No. 2 ranking at stake. After two hours and 28 minutes, it was Sharapova taking the title 6-4 2-6 6-3, but with Singapore and the WTA Finals looming, these two may meet again there with player of the year implications potentially hanging in the balance.

In a season where a different woman has won each Grand Slam event, Sharapova and Kvitova have accounted for two of the four championships. Sharapova was victorious at Roland Garros, while Kvitova powered through Wimbledon. With Australian Open champion Li Na announcing her retirement and the health status of U. S. Open champion Serena Williams in question, these two power hitters appear to be in the driver’s seat in Singapore.

Both Simona Halep and Eugenie Bouchard also have been impressive in 2014, but they have no Grand Slam titles to their credit.  Meanwhile, some feel that Williams should shut her game down for the year and address her injured left knee to obtain peak form for the Australian Open in 2015.

Interestingly, despite the deep resume each player owns, Sharapova and Kvitova have only met eight times during their careers with the Russian holding a decisive 6-2 lead. She has won the last five meetings, including a quarterfinal in Miami this spring along with her recent Beijing result. However, Kvitova won back-to-back meetings in 2011 with one of those taking place in the Wimbledon final. Both players share similar styles, and each has journeyed back to the top of the game.

During their impressive careers, both champions have faced and overcome adversity. From 2004-08, Sharapova finished the season ranked inside the top 10. However, after struggles and shoulder surgery, she fell outside of that ranking in 2009-10 before returning to form and, at one stage, world No. 1. Most recently, the 27-year-old overcame season-ending shoulder surgery prior to the 2013 U. S. Open and regained success this year.

Likewise, after Kvitova won the 2011 Wimbledon title, it appeared that a string of Grand Slam championships would be in her immediate future. Perhaps succumbing to the weight of expectations, after semifinal appearances at the Australian and French Opens in 2012, she would fail to advance past the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam until finally breaking that streak at Wimbledon this year. Now, having endured setbacks, both competitors are playing arguably the best tennis of their respective careers this season.

Sharapova is within range of capturing world No. 1 once again, and she has put her season in context, ''It's definitely great to be a year later in a situation where this is my fourth title of the year [and have won] a Grand Slam this year,” she said. “You look back and think about how you kind of struggled, but you kept going.''

Meanwhile, Kvitova found the silver lining after her recent defeat, “I have a little bit more confidence than I had probably before I came to Asia,” the Czech said. “In tennis, it's a lot about the mental side. That was really important to have it back.​” She is scheduled to play Kremlin Cup in Moscow before Singapore, but it is unclear whether she will eventually decide to skip the event.

With the BNP Paribas WTA Finals less than two weeks away, there are six other women who will certainly have a say in the outcome. However, Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova will be two of the favorites to capture the season-ending championship in Singapore. And there is a good likelihood that these two power players may well square off against each other for a ninth time there. Regardless, both will enter next season as two of the favorites to capture the first Grand Slam of 2015 in Melbourne.