Daniilidou wins Hobart as Zvonareva hurts ankle, can't play
HOBART, Australia -- Eleni Daniilidou's first WTA Tour singles title since 2006 turned out to be her easiest when she won the Hobart International on Friday in a walkover.
Vera Zvonareva of Russia rolled her left ankle during a practice session about two hours before the scheduled start of the final at The Domain Tennis Centre and could not play, giving Greece's No. 1 player her fifth singles championship.
Zvonareva will travel to Melbourne on Saturday for an MRI. Seeded 23rd in the Australian Open, Zvonareva is scheduled to take on Japan's Ai Sugiyama in the first round at Melbourne Park early next week.
When she did step on the court Friday, Daniilidou didn't have as much success -- she and Jasmin Woehr of Germany lost the doubles final 6-2, 6-4 to Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain.
Daniilidou advanced to the singles final by beating Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals while Zvonareva defeated American qualifier Ashley Harkleroad 6-2, 6-1.
Daniilidou will play Italian Tathiana Garbin in the first round of the Australian Open.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
