All Czech final
Kukushkin interrupts Del Potro comeback
Kvitova takes on compatriot Pliskova in Sydney decider
SYDNEY: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will play in the final of the Sydney International after ending Tsvetana Pironkova’s incredible run at the tournament yesterday.
The Czech second seed proved too strong for the plucky Bulgarian defending champion, winning their semi-final 7-5, 6-1.
Kvitova ended Pironkova’s quest for a 15th straight win at the Sydney tournament after the Bulgarian came through the qualifying rounds to win the tournament in 2014 and again had to qualify for the main draw this year.
After a stiff contest in the opening set the world No.4 finished off Pironkova with the loss of just one game in the second set.
Kvitova set up an all-Czech final with Karolina Pliskova, who was a straight sets winner in the other semi-final over German fifth seed Angelique Kerber.
After a slow start that included losing her opening service game, Kvitova went to a new level and looks in good shape for next week’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
Meanwhile, a sapping schedule finally caught up with Kerber.
World No.22 Pliskova enjoyed a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory over last year’s Sydney finalist.
It had been a tough few days for the German fifth seed and world No.9 who had to endure three three-set matches, including a WTA record late local time finish at 3.10am on Wednesday after rain delays disrupted the tournament schedule.
Kerber had little more to offer and was dispatched in just 55 minutes by Pliskova.
“I been playing the whole week really well,” Pliskova said.
“I won some good matches. Last week as well in Brisbane I had few good matches, so I’m feeling well and happy to play good before Melbourne.
“I was surprised that it was 6-3, 6-2. I played her a few times and it was always a close match.
“But I started to play really fast, pushing her and dictating the game a little bit and my serve was working today as well, so maybe that’s the difference between us.”
In men’s tournament, Juan Martin del Potro’s winning comeback after 10 months out through injury was ended by qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin yesterday.
The Argentine defending champion, who spent much of last year recovering from wrist surgery, was knocked out in two tie-break sets by the Kazakhstan qualifier, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3) in just under two hours.
Del Potro, who beat Sergiy Stakhovsky and top seed Fabio Fognini to reach the quarter-finals after he was awarded a wildcard into the tournament, fought to the end, but found Kukushkin too strong on the day.
Only a handful of tie-break points separated the two with neither player’s serve broken during the match.
The 2009 US Open winner ran out of steam against the world No.66, who made it six straight wins in the tournament after three victories in qualifying.
Kukushkin will now play another Argentine fifth seed Leonardo Mayer, who got past French fourth seed Julien Benneteau, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) in today’s semi-finals.
“It was a tough match,” the former US Open champion said.
“I think he deserve to win because he played better than me in the tiebreak.
“The match was close. I served well, but my wrist hurts a little bit more than yesterday, and I couldn’t hit harder than my last match.”
Del Potro was satisfied with his week’s work and some important match practice ahead of next week’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
“It’s a great week for me. I did more than what I expected before,” del Potro said.
“I played three matches in a row and I played against good players in this tournament, which means a good comeback for me.
“I’m happy just to be playing tennis again against these players. It will be more interesting for me and I will be improving faster than training at home with my coach.”
Viktor Troicki of Serbia beat Simone Bolelli of Italy 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in the third quarter-final yesterday and will next meet Gilles Muller of Luxembourg who overcame Bernard Tomic of Australia 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (15/13).
At the rain-affected Hobart International, Britain’s Heather Watson advanced to the semi-finals with a 7-6 (7/0), 6-2 win over ninth-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy.
American Alison Riske also won her quarter-final, beating Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-0.
In a second-round match, Karin Knapp of Italy defeated top-seeded Casey Dellacqua of Australia, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.