Caroline Wozniacki outfoxes Dominika Cibulkova to enter semis – Kremlin Cup 2012
Former world number one, Caroline Wozniacki form Denmark, got the better of the fifth seeded Slovak, Dominika Cibulkova, in a three-set mouth-watering match at the Kremlin Cup 2012 on Friday. She notched up a 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-1 victory against the defending
champion to power into the semi-finals at this WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) Premier event held in Moscow.
Seeded third in this event, Wozniacki recreated her magic to outclass the Slovakian beauty in their 12th meeting. After recording the victory in two hours and 11 minutes, the Dane improved to a 9-3 lifetime in the head-to-head series against the
world number 14 and inched closer towards her second year-to-date title.
Wozniacki commented in a courtside interview after stealing the show:
"The difference was I was able to keep playing at a high level at the end, and that I won the most important points in the beginning of the third set.... Maybe if I played better at the end of the second set I could have closed it out 6-4 or 7-5, but we
went to a third set so I just had to refocus."
The wild card entrant made a strong entry at the Olympic Stadium. She swiped her entire serves without facing any hindrance and cashed both break chances to pull out the opener with a 6-2 score line.
The 23-year-old Slovak rebounded in the following set. After exchanging four breaks of serve, Cibulkova took the set to a tie-breaker where she went berserk, eventually sealing the equaliser with a 7-6(1) win.
Ranked 11th in the world, Wozniacki unleashed her skills again in the final set. She reeled off last five games and clinched the decider with a breadstick.
Next in line for the Danish number one is the Swedish star, Sofia Arvidsson, who stunned seventh seeded Maria Kirilenko to reach this spot.
Arvidsson trails in the head-to-head series by 2-6 but she inched towards the victory in her last encounter in Indian Wells. However, Wozniacki made an epic comeback and clinched the match with a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory.
Wozniacki reflected after triumphing over the Swede in their last encounter at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this circuit.
"I knew it would be a tough match. I have known Sofia since I was 12 or 13, we had the same sponsor and practiced and played together all the time. But I fought for every point and made it through - I'm happy to be through this one."
The Swede cashed four out of six break chances in her last match to formulate a 6-3, 6-3 success and book this spot.
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