Kim Birrell has missed out on lifting her maiden WTA title in the Japan Open in an anti-climactic finale to what had proved a huge breakthrough week for the Australian hopeful.
On a busy Sunday at the hardcourt event in Osaka, the former Aussie No.1 Birrell, who's slipped back in the rankings to 150, had to play two matches in the space of a few hours after the previous day's play had been wiped out by rain.
