Dominika Cibulkova battles past Anastasia Rodionova into last four – Generali Ladies Linz 2011
Seventh seeded Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova needed a third set to overpower Australian lucky loser, Anastasia Rodionova to book a semi-final spot at the Generali Ladies Linz 2011, an indoor hard court event taking place at the
Intersport Arena in Linz Austria. She jolted down a 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-1 victory over the 29-year-old Aussie to confidently progress on Friday.
A former world number twelve, Cibulkova was a set down when she re-focused her strategy to overwhelm the lucky loser’s resilience in above two hours. Facing each other for the sixth time, the Slovak not only advanced into the last
four but also took revenge for her loss at Haven last year. She had now levelled the head-to-head series by 3-3 against Rodionova.
The lucky Aussie confidently marched in the Austria’s hard courts and after keeping her opening serve in the second game, she tied the scores at 1-1. She then earned the desiderated break and put her nose ahead for the first time
in the match. However, she failed to maintain her lead and after losing her serve in the eighth game, Rodionova dragged the set to a tie-breaker. She was trailing 1-3 in it but quickly bounced back to clinch the opener with a 7-6(5) score line.
The furious seed roared back in the second set and took the first blood in the opening game to have the initial lead. Regardless of losing her serve in the very next game, the Slovak pocketed following five games consecutively
before Rodionova could hold on. Cibulkova then kept her serve once more to seal the equalizer with an assuring 6-2 victory. She saved four out of five breakpoints faced with her amazing defensive skills and cashed in on all three breakpoint chances to her
advantage.
The high spirited Slovak kept her savage mode on in the final set and after bombarding several massive groundstrokes, she fished out first five games in a row. Despite losing her serve in the sixth game, Cibulkova broke the Aussie’s
serve again in the follow-up game to earn a breadstick. She fended off one out of two breakpoints encountered and capitalised on four out of five breakpoint opportunities to her advantage.
"It was very similar to the match I played against Errani in the last round," said Cibulkova, who won that one, 67(1) 63 61. "In the first set I was too passive, then relaxed for the second set and started to really hit the ball
and play well."
She will next face Czech Lucie Safarova who defeated Romanian qualifier Sorana Cirstea in straight sets to reach this spot.
"Lucie is a very tough opponent," Cibulkova said. "The last time we played was in the first round of Wimbledon last year. She's lefty and is very talented."
Cibulkova leads the Czech in the head-to-head series by 2-0.
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