Pironkova started the 2014 season ranked outside the top 100, at No. 107. She made it through the qualifying draw at the Apia International in Sydney. In the main draw, she defeated world No. 7, Sara Errani, in the quarterfinals and world No. 6, Petra Kvitová, in the semifinals, both in straight sets. She then defeated ninth ranked Angelique Kerber to win her first WTA Tour title. Pironkova was the first qualifier to win a WTA Premier event in three and a half years, moved up 50 places in the world rankings, and was the first Bulgarian to win a WTA event in over ten years (after Magdalena Maleeva at the 2003 DFS Classic). Pironkova's run in Australia ended at the Australian Open with a second-round straight-set loss to Samantha Stosur, managing to win just two games. After the Australian Open, she reached a ranking of No. 52.