Qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova won the Apia International Sydney on Friday, defeating world number nine Angelique Kerber for her first WTA title, 6-4, 6-4. Coming into the Sydney finals, Pironkova was 0-7 in WTA Tour level semifinals matches. En route to the title, Pironkova defeated three top 10-ranked players, Sara Errani (world number seven), Petra Kvitova (world number six) and Kerber. The last qualifier to…
Third-seeded John Isner reached the finals of the Heineken Open on Friday in Auckland, defeating Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 in the semifinals. In the finals, Isner will meet upset winner and world number 62 Yen-Hsun Lu, who pulled off a 6-4, 7-6(4) win over three-time defending Heineken Open champion and world number three David Ferrer. "I was a bit…
Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova upset the second-seeded Petra Kvitova on Thursday, 6-4, 6-3 to earn a spot in the finals of the Apia International Sydney. In the finals, Pironkova will meet the fifth-seeded German Angelique Kerber, a 6-4, 6-2 semifinals victor over American Madison Keys. “I feel incredibly happy right now," said Pironkova post-match. "In the same time, I’m trying to stay grounded and focused…
Spain's David Ferrer won his14th consecutive match at the Heineken Open on Thursday in Auckland, getting past Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals. Ferrer is seeking his fifth Heineken Open title (third consecutive and also won the title in 2007) and has a 25-5 overall record at the event. Also earning a trip to the semis was 2010 champion…
In January, ESPN Classic will present more than 100 hours of Australian Open programming, plus tennis-themed editions of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning SportsCentury series and other interview shows. Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 8, ESPN Classic will air Australian Open programming virtually around the clock until Friday, Jan. 11 at 8:00 p.m. The marathon of more than 80 hours will climax with…
The 2014 Australian Open will take place at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia from Jan. 13-26. ATP top-ranked Rafael Nadal will look to unseat reigning champion Novak Djokovic on the men’s side of the draw, while world number one Serena Williams looks to take the title from Victoria Azarenka, 2013’s defending women’s champ. Here is…
Bulgarian qualifier Tsvetana Pironkova scored a big upset Wednesday at the 2014 Apia International Sydney to advance to the semifinals with a 7-6(2), 6-3 win over the number three seed, Italy's Sara Errani in the quarterfinals. Pironkova is now into her second-biggest WTA semifinal, her biggest being Wimbledon in 2010. "This off-season I decided to change things a little, taking it easier and…
The top-seeded American duo of Bob & Mike Bryan were upset Wednesday at the Apia International Sydney, falling to the unseeded duo of Lukas Rosol & Joao Sousa 3-6 6-3 [14-12] in the quarterfinals. It marked the Bryans' earliest exit in Sydney since 2007. Winners of the last two doubles titles in Sydney, the Bryans have won three Apia International…
It was a good day for the United States at Auckland’s Heineken Open on Wednesday, beginning with American Jack Sock's upset of the second-seeded Tommy Haas, 6-4, 6-4. The 21-year-old Sock, currently ranked 100th in the Emirates ATP Rankings, advances to his third ATP Tour-level quarterfinal and next meets Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over the sixth-seeded Benoit Paire….
The top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska was upset by Bethanie Mattek-Sands at the Apia International Sydney, falling 5-7, 2-6 on Tuesday. Having already won three qualifying rounds and a first round match this week, Mattek-Sands fell behind to Radwanska 5-3 in the first set, but turned things around in a hurry, building a 7-5, 3-0 lead en route to the win. Up…