Pain is Pironkova’s gain as she wins first title in Sydney By Matt Cronin

Written by: Staff on 10th January 2014

Tennis APIA Sydney International tournament

Pain is Pironkova’s gain as she wins first title in Sydney By Matt Cronin

epa04013928 Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria poses with her trophy after winning the women's single final against Angelique Kerber of German at the APIA Sydney International Tennis Tournament in Sydney, Australia, 10 January 2014. EPA/DEAN LEWINS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

SYDNEY – It is very rare to find a veteran player who was sitting outside of the top 100 and at times who though about quitting who can find a way to come though qualifying and mow down an elite WTA field at a Premier level event.

Welcome to Tsvetana Pironkova ‘s world, one that was filled with angst and now is filled with joy. In one of the most impressive weeks in recent memory, the Bulgarian won the Apia International Sydney on Saturday, besting the favored fifth seed Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-4 in the final. That win followed brilliant performances against two other top 10 players, Sara Errani and Petra Kvitova and the world No. 107 became the first qualifier to win a WTA Premier since Ekaterina Makarova at 2010 Eastbourne.

The 26 year old needed to win eight matches to grab the crown When she came on court against Kerber, both of her legs hurt. But she would not give in even though the German is a terrific defensive player who is capable of grinding anyone down.

“In the beginning of the match I was feeling pain all over my legs actually, in my thighs,” Pironkova recalled. “I said, ‘You’re in the final now. You cannot let this affect you that much. Play until you pass out.’”

Pironkova out hit Kerber on the backhand side with low laser shots, served much bigger and more effectively and kept her weaker forehand deep enough so that Kerber was unable to eat her alive. She broke the weak-serving German six times, nailed 32 winners to Kerber’s 23 and did not appear to be nervous while closing the match out, even though it was her first career final. But in reality, she was riddled with anxiety until she took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand.

“I felt very nervous, but I tried my hardest not to show it,” she said. “I was trying to concentrate so hard that I just see only the ball. I was only watching the ball and I’m like, Okay, just watch the ball and follow every point. “

She won the contest when Kerber pushed a groundstroke wide, fell to her knees and cried a bit in her chair. Her first words in on court ceremony were to her parents, her father and coach Kirlei who was on site, as was her mom, Radosevta.

“Mom, Dad, we have trophy!” she said with a big smile on her face.

Her emotion flowed feely, which was not surprising given that there were times in 2O13 when she couldn’t win a match.“When I know what I’ve been through, not only last season but throughout my career, it hasn’t been easy for me,” she said. “This is something that 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. My mom and dad are the people that have always been with me. Good or bad, they have always been behind my back and pushing me.”

Pironkova admitted that retirement did cross her mind last season, but she stuck with her sport because she’s been chasing that elusive trophy her whole career “One bad season, I said to myself, ‘Okay, it sucks, but you have to keep pushing,” she said. “You have to go forward. Just take all your chances and do what you have to do, and then we’ll see what happens. So that’s what I did.”

The Bulgarian added that all of her improvement is due to her newfound mental stability and that she didn’t lose her head once she reached the latter stages of he event. After she upset Errani in the quarters, she knew she had a chance to win it, but she couldn’t afford to day dream, she couldn’t think too much ahead. She actually had to wins points, games, sets, and matches. And that is what she did. The former Wimbledon semifinalist will head out of Sydney to Melbourne a very happy camper, a top 60 player and a much more dangerous competitor.

“That’s for the first time it came to my mind,” she said of her Errani upset. “Whoa, you are on a roll here, you play really good, you feel confident, so why not win the tournament,” “But I try to push that thought deeper in my mind and not to think too much about it. Just to take each match on its own. I think that’s the right strategy for me.”

Topics: 10sballs, Angelique Kerber, Ekaterina Makarova, Sports, Sydney, Tennis, Tennis News, Tsvetana Pironkova, Wta