AAP Tennis

Aussie Birrell bows out in Singapore Open quarter-final

By AAP Newswire

Feb 1, 2025

Kim Birrell's hopes of battling her way to another WTA final have been scuppered by American Ann Li after two tough tiebreak sets in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open.

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The Australian No.1 succumbed 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) to the US world No.85 after a tight one hour 48-minute battle at the Kallang Tennis Hub on Friday, ending her hopes of reaching a second WTA final.

The consolation for the 26-year-old Gold Coast player, who was finalist in the Japan Open last year, was that she'll soar to a new career-high ranking next week, likely rising 10 places to No.85 in the world.

Birrell is currently the only Australian woman in the top-100, with teenager May Joint in line to move up to 101 next week and Olivia Gadecki to 102 after their earlier exits in Singapore.Â

Birrrell, who'd come back from 2-5 down in the deciding set to beat another American Hailey Baptiste in her previous match, again showed her fighting spirit as she fought from 5-3 down in the opening set to force a breaker, only for Li to dominate.

With Li serving for the match at 5-4 in the second, Birrell again broke back only for the American to prove the stronger again in the second tiebreak as she set up a semi-final with Russian top seed Anna Kalinskaya, who defeated Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-3 4-6 6-0 in her quarter.

Birrell was Li's second Australian victim of the week after she had disposed of Daria Saville in the first round.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press