Seeds number two, four and five, one of them defending champion Jarmila Gajdosova, were all the victims of Mona Barthel during her run to her first career final at the Moorilla Hobart International. But the amazing German didn't leave the city without completing the last touch and finished the tournament by upsetting top seed Yanina Wickmayer with an impressive 6-1 6-2 score.

Being a qualifier, Barthel compiled eight match wins on her title quest. The defeated names include: Valeria Savinykh, Olga Govortsova, Nina Bratchikova, Romina Oprandi, Anabel Medina Garrigues, Jarmila Gajdosova, Angelique Kerber, and finally Yanina Wickmayer. The last qualifier to win a WTA title before Barthel was Tamira Paszek at Quebec City in September 2010.

The world No.64 Barthel, who came to Hobart with only six main draw victories in her life, is projected to make a Top 50 debut.

Prior to Hobart, Barthel played Auckland where she defeated former world No.4 Jelena Dokic in the first round and lost to Sabine Lisicki 7-6(3) 3-6 6-3 afterwards. The upcoming Australian Open will be her first main draw appearance at the event and her opening opponent will be Anne Keothavong. (photo via Moorilla Hobart International)

Playing against defending champion Li Na in the final of the Apia International Sydney, Victoria Azarenka dominated the first set 6-2 before Li stormed through the second without facing a break point and by losing just one game. The odds continued to be on Li’s side in the beginning of the third set when she broke Azarenka’s serve in the opening game, but from then on Azarenka was writing the story of their match and took out the last year’s champion 6-2 1-6 6-3. Read more »

We were all happy to welcome Anna Chakvetadze back on the tennis courts this week at the Hobart International, and seeing her win two matches, her first victories since April, made us root for her even more. However, the Russian has joined dozens of WTA players that are already injured this early January and retired from her quarterfinal against Shahar Peer with a severe left leg cramp.

After ousting third seed Monica Niculescu 6-0 6-4 and Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3 6-2, the 24-year-old Chakvetadze won the first set 6-4 against the sixth-seeded Peer, but even during that set she started experiencing the injury. Chakvetadze then lost the second set and retired after dropping serve initially in the decider at the score 4-6 6-4 1-0.

Chakvetadze was once No.5 in the women's standings but the horrifying robbery, string of injuries and illness dragged her down to her current 234th position in the WTA rankings. Hobart was the Russian’s first tournament since Wimbledon in June. During her golden career year of 2007, Chakvetadze won four WTA titles, including Hobart, and played the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. (photo: © Neal Trousdale)

Fila has converted one more big name in 2012. After shocking us by taking Jelena Jankovic from Anta, Fila prepared another early season surprise by signing Vera Zvonareva who used to wear the K-Swiss apparel. With Kim Clijsters and Svetlana Kuznetsova already by their side for years, Fila has now added two really big tennis names, Top 15 players and Grand Slam finalists.

Here’s what the world No.7 Zvonareva says about the deal with Fila:

I have admired the Fila brand since I was a young girl and I am thrilled to join the elite group of athletes that have worn Fila throughout the years. The Fila brand aligns so well with my personal style, and I look forward to wearing Fila’s tennis line in Australia.

Additional info: For your last glance at Zvonareva’s past partnership with K-Swiss, check out how the Russian wore the brand during 2010.

Saying "It’s sport" on her Facebook page, Petra Kvitova consoled herself after a 1-6 7-5 6-2 loss to Li Na in the semifinals of the Apia International Sydney. As you know, Kvitova could have become No.1 ahead of the Australian Open had she won the title in Sydney.

Defending champion Li seemed to be free falling towards defeat when Kvitova won the first set by giving up only one game and broke in the beginning of the following set to lead 3-1. However, the French Open champion Li fearlessly clawed back into the match and scored her fourth victory of the week, after wins over Ekatarina Makarova, Chanelle Scheepers and Lucie Safarova. Remember that in the entire post-French Open part of last season, i.e. since June, Li won a total of only seven matches.

Li’s opponent in the final will be Victoria Azarenka, who also overcame a 6-1 deficit to beat Agnieszka Radwanska 1-6 6-3 6-2, the conqueror of No.1 Caroline Wozniacki in the previous round. Li is 4-2 in career meetings with Azarenka, but it was Azarenka who handily won their last clash 6-2 6-2 at the WTA Championships at the end of 2011. (photo: © Neal Trousdale)