On Friday in Australia, in the final of the Sydney International, a 2010 Wimbledon semifinalist (and 2011 quarterfinalist), 26 year old qualifier #108 (career high: #32) Tsvetana Pironkova from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, won her first WTA singles title by defeating the 2013 Linz champion, 25 year old 5th seeded #9 (career high: #5) Angelique Kerber from Kiel, Germany, 6-4, 6-4 (Tsveti is shown holding the hardware after the match).     Tsveti said: "I didn't really do anything that special tonight compared to the previous matches. I just kept the same level. I was just trying to keep the ball in the court as much as possible and as strong as possible, and when I got my chances I was trying to make winners. That's it, really."     Tsvetana won only 11 matches all of last season. She is 9-1 in matches this year, with eight wins in a row at Sydney (3 qualy, 5 MD). Three of her wins at Sydney were over players ranked in the top 10. It is the first time that a qualifier has ever won (or even reached the final) of the Sydney tournament. The last qualifier to win any WTA Premier level title was Ekaterina Makarova at Eastbourne in 2010.     Tsveti said: "When I think about what I've been through, not only last season but throughout my career, it hasn't been easy for me. Winning a WTA title is something I've been waiting for so long and something that I've missed so much. Now that I finally have it, it's all surreal. I still cannot believe it, honestly." WTA story     Tsveti now leads Angelique 2-1 in career matches.. Their previous meeting was in 2012 on a Plexipave hardcourt in the 2nd round at Doha, when Tsvetana defeated Angelique 6-4, 6-1.

    Tsvetana was playing in her first WTA singles final. She has a 9-1 singles match record in 2014.

    Angelique is now 3-6 in WTA singles finals; all of her titles were won indoors. Angelique has a 6-2 singles match record so far this season.

    On Saturday in Tasmania, in the final of the Hobart International, 20 year old qualifier #63 (career high: #53) Garbine Muguruza from Barcelona, Spain defeated the 2013 finalist at Shenzhen (and 2005 champ at Portoroz & 's-Hertogenbosch), 31 year old 7th seeded #35 (career high: #21) Klara (Koukalova) Zakopalova from Prague, Czech Republic, (Garbine is shown holding the woodwork after the match).

    Garbine said: "I didn't expect to win a lot of matches in the second tournament of the year, but I knew that I'd just worked so hard before. When I was at home I was thinking to myself, 'If I go to the tournament I'm going to fight so much,' and that's what I did. I was like a big bull out there." WTA story

    Klara and Garbine had met only once before, in 2012 on a Deco-Turf hardcourt in the 1st round at Seoul, when Klara defeated Garbine 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(1).

    Garbine was playing in her first WTA singles final. She has won one WTA doubles title, last year at Hobart (partnered with Torro-Flor). Garbine now has an 10-1 singles match record in 2014.

    Klara is now 2-11 in WTA singles finals; both her titles came in 2005, at Portoroz and 's-Hertogenbosch. Klara has a 5-2 singles match record so far this year.

    After her loss in singles, Klara returned to the court and, partnered with Monica Niculescu, won the doubles title, defeating Lisa Raymond & Shuai Zhang 6-2, 6(5)-7 (10-8).

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