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Wimbledon 2010: Vera Zvonerava v Tsvetana Pironkova Q&A

By Vicki Hodges
Published: 7:26PM BST 30 Jun 2010

History constructor: Tsvetana Pironkova is the first Bulgarian to reach a Wimbledon half-final Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Who are you? Bulgaria's No 1 announced her arrival at SW19 by stunning five-times Wimbledon champion Venus Williams in straight sets to space the final four.

The world No 82 has spent five years adhering the circuit without advancing beyond the second round of a grand slam. Russian Zvonareva, the 21st seed, meanwhile, is more renowned as being her on-court tantrums rather than her prolific results.

 

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Show us your medals? The trophy cabinet is decidedly mere for Pironkova with only a mediocre six ITF titles. Her foregoing grand slam highlight was a first-round win over Venus Williams at the 2006 Australian Open. Zvonareva boasts 10 WTA tour titles and victories on the mixed doubles scene at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Battle of wits: Pironkova cuts a inattention figure on court – think more Justine Henin than Lindsay Davenport – and relies steady tactical nous and quick-wittedness rather than brawn. In contrast, Zvonareva, is inclining to tantrums, tirades and tears if things are not going her course.

Known for her piercing groundstrokes and two-handed backhands, the Russian testament look to muscle her way into the final.

Route to the half-finals: Pironkova, or 'Tsetsy' to her friends, has not dropped a ~tled yet. Aside from stunning Venus Williams, she halted 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli's progress.

Zvonareva, has worn out an average of 71 minutes on court, dropping only one ~tle, to Kim Clijsters.

Did you know? Pironkova is the first Bulgarian to extend the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the only Bulgarian to get the semi-finals of a grand slam in the Open era.

Reasons to be cheerful: Zvonareva's unpredictability. The hot-headed Russian's intellectual fragility makes what looks on paper a drab semi-final, a potentially racy affair.

Reasons to be fearful: Pironkova may have peaked too at dawn. The Bulgarian was brought back down to earth after stunning Venus Williams at the Australian Open four years ~ne.

Verdict: If Zvonareva keeps her composure, a first grand slam conclusive awaits. By Pironkova's own admission she is punching above her pith. "Coming here, I really just wanted to play a good prey, to maybe win one or two rounds. But the semi-final looked to me very far."

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