Tsvetana Pironkova started the new season with a dramatic success over the Romanian Monika Nikulesku. Sesil Karatantcheva also got through the decisive qualifications round of the Brisbane tournament.
The first racket of Bulgaria defeated Nikulesku in a three-set thriller that lasted three hours and seven minutes. The first set finished with a tiebreak, which Nikulesku won with 7-2. Pironkova, however, found
Hsieh Su-wei delivered one of the first major upsets of the 2021 tournament sending Canadian and 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu packing with a 6-3 6-2 second-round victory on Wednesday.