Eastbourne 2012 Prize Money: Paszek wins $107K for Title

Tamira Paszek was the surprise winner at this year's 2012 AEGON International women's singles final when she saved five match points in downing world no. 9 Angelique Kerber to lift her first WTA premier level trophy. Her 57 63 75 victory wrapped up a week of surprises in a tournament where the top three seeded players, all ranked in the top 10, crashed in the first round of competition. Paszek then beat the two remaining seeds (no. 4-seed Marion Bartoli and no. 5-seed Kerber) in back-to-back matches to secure the third WTA title in her career. Paszek earned her biggest paycheck to date taking home the Eastbourne winner's prize money of $107,000 and 470 ranking points.

With a 2-13 record on the year and five Top 10 players in the draw, Paszek wasn't exactly the favorite for the title at the start of the week. But match by match she started getting better and better, and the talent and toughness were both on full display in the semis as she came from the aforementioned deficit to upset No.4 seed and defending champion Marion Bartoli, 46 75 64. That wasn't Paszek's last great comeback of the week, either. With four straight set wins, Angelique Kerber got up to 40 match wins on the year - the WTA's match win leader in fact, two better than Victoria Azarenka and Agnieszka Radwanska. And the No.5-seeded German looked headed for her 41st win as she built a 5-3 lead in the third set, and even brought up five match points.

But Paszek served them all away - three from 0-40, two more on ad out - and after a few more tight games she won, and lifted her biggest title. Paszek has a first round match at Wimbledon with Caroline Wozniacki. "Caroline's a tough opponent, former World No.1, amazing competitor - she doesn't give you a free point. So from tomorrow I will just try to do my work with Andrei, adapt my game to the courts and atmosphere of a Grand Slam again, and we will see. I will just enjoy every moment and try my best there... We've known each other since we were like 10. I have a picture. We played when we were Under 12 or something like that. On tour she has beaten me once - that was the only time we played, I think. But in juniors many times.

The victory increased Paszek total 2012 prize money to $219,179. That puts her as #54 in the money leaders this week. Kerber earned the runner-up prize money of $57,000, while Bartoli and Klara Zakopalova each took home $30,550 for reaching the semi-finals. World no. 2 Victoria Azarenka is still at the top of the list with $4.6 million prize money this year followed closely by world no. 1 Maria Sharapova who has $4.4 million.

WTA Top Year-to-Date Prize Money Leaders - as of June 25, 2012

1 Azarenka, Victoria BLR $4,633,237
2 Sharapova, Maria RUS $4,369,006
3 Radwanska, Agnieszka POL $2,088,433
4 Errani, Sara ITA $1,901,235
5 Williams, Serena USA $1,294,379
6 Kvitova, Petra CZE $1,058,976
7 Stosur, Samantha AUS $945,530
8 Vinci, Roberta ITA $901,208
9 Kerber, Angelique GER $886,976
10 Li, Na CHN $770,854
...
50 Halep, Simona ROU $249,682
51 Peng, Shuai CHN $248,746
52 Stephens, Sloane USA $224,098
53 Arvidsson, Sofia SWE $220,687
54 Paszek, Tamira AUT $219,179