SYDNEY: Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova’s fairytale run at the Sydney International ended with her first WTA title when she stunned world number nine Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 in the final on Friday.
Pironkova had already beaten world number six Petra Kvitova and number seven Sara Errani in the seven matches it took her to get the final and rode a second set fightback from her German opponent to claim the victory.
“Mum and Dad, we have a trophy,” the 26-year-old former Wimbledon semifinalist beamed after her triumph.
Men’s world number three David Ferrer was also the victim of a shock, however, when his bid for a fifth Auckland Open title was ended in the semifinals by a 6-4, 7-6 (4) loss to Taiwan’s Lu Yen-hsun.
At the Kooyong Classic exhibition, France’s Gilles Simon turned his ankle badly and was forced to retire while trailing compatriot Richard Gasquet 7-6 (3) 1-0.
Simon will have scans on the injury but his participation in the Australian Open, where he is seeded 18th, must be in serious doubt.
Sam Stosur, another former US Open champion, went down 6-3, 6-2 in the semi-finals of the Hobart International to Klara Zakopalova, who she will meet again in the first round at Melbourne Park.
Zakopalova will first face Spain’s Garbine Muguruza Blanco in the Hobart final after she thrashed compatriot Estrella Cabeza Candela 6-0, 6-1 in the second semi.
At the Auckland Open, world number 62 Lu stunned Ferrer in two sets to bring the Spaniard’s 14-match, three-year winning streak at the tournament to an end.
Lu will face big-serving American John Isner, who came from behind to beat Spain’s Roberto Bautista 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, in his first ATP final on Saturday. (AP)