Tsvetana Pironkova
Profile:
Nationality: BUL () Birthdate: September 13, 1987
Birthplace: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Residence: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Turned Pro: Pro (2002)
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Height : 180 cm
Weight : 65 kg
Type : Right hand, 2 handed backhand
Pro since : 2002
ATP/WTA : 50
Biography:
Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgarian: Цветана Кирилова Пиронкова) (born 13 September 1987) is a female Bulgarian tennis player. She was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and resides there. Pironkova is right-handed and plays with a two-handed backhand. She is currently Bulgarian No. 1. Pironkova started playing tennis at the age of 4 when her father, Kiril Pironkov, introduced her to the game. At the age of six, she started playing in junior tournaments in Bulgaria. In August 2002 at the age of 14, Pironkova played her first professional tournament at the $10,000 International Tennis Federation Tournament in Bucharest, Romania. Pironkova won 3 qualifying matches before reaching the final in the main draw, where she lost to Monica Niculescu of Romania, 6–1, 7–6(1). In September 2002, Pironkova played in the $10,000 ITF event in Volos, Greece, where she lost only one set playing through the qualifying and main draw. She defeated Tina Schmassmann of Switzerland 7–6(3), 7–5 to win her first professional ITF event. On the week of May 14 - May 21, 2005, at the age of 17, Pironkova played in her first WTA level tournament. This was the Tier III event in Istanbul, Turkey. After winning two qualifying matches, Pironkova won three matches in the main draw before she lost in the semi-finals to Venus Williams. In 2006, Pironkova made headlines by defeating tenth-seed Venus Williams in the first round of the 2006 Australian Open by a score of 2–6, 6–0, 9–7. Pironkova was ranked 94th in the world [1]. On November 16, 2006, Pironkova reached her career high singles ranking of 62. In 2007, Pironkova lost in the first rounds of the Australian Open, French Open, and at Wimbledon, she played in the qualifications of the US Open, She qualified by beating Zuzana Ondrášková, Marta Domachowska, and Stéphanie Dubois. In the Main draw she was drawn to play Olga Puchkova from Russia, Pironkova won that match 6–3, 6–4 to set up a clash with world number 1, Justine Henin in the second round. Pictures:
Tsvetana Pironkova
