Dominika Cibulkova conquers Agnieszka Radwanska and Stanford – Tennis News
Slovakian beauty, Dominika Cibulkova, outshines the top seed, Agnieszka Radwanska, in a three-set nail-biter at the Bank of the West Classic 2013 on Sunday. She notched up a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory against the Polish top ranked star
to grab her third Premier level crown at this hard court event being held in Stanford, United States of America.
Seeded third in this event, Cibulkova made a drastic entry and lost the opening set. She found the right path in the following set and despite squandering her first three match points, the Slovak stayed focused and carved out the
victory in almost two and half hours.
"On the first match point I think I was a little bit too nervous," the ecstatic Slovak commented in a post match press conference. "… But every match point was getting better and better. I knew she wouldn't give it to me - I knew
I just really had to go for it."
The world number four, Radwanska, made a great start in this match. She drew the first blood in the fifth game and jumped to a 4-2 lead. The Pole availed another break chance in the end and clinched the opener with a 6-3 score
line.
Cibulkova re-focused in the proceeding set and held her entire serves with conviction. She got the breakthrough in the seventh game and clicked the equaliser with a 6-4 win.
The Slovak lost her track in the start of the deciding set and went down twice. However, she fired up again and sealed the decider with a 6-4 victory after winding up last four games.
This was the first time Cibulkova overpowered the Pole. In their most recent encounter at title-round of Apia International Sydney, the Slovak suffered a brutal 0-6, 0-6 loss. However, after notching this win, Cibulkova lowered
trail in the head-to-head series by 1-4 against her fellow 24-year-old.
"The big difference between Sydney and today was I made the first game - after I won that, I looked at my coach and thought, 'Here we go, I'm here, it's going to be good today,'" Cibulkova reflected. "It's a big deal for me today.
I had never beaten Aga before. She's a really tough competitor and I had to earn every point myself. It was tough mentally and physically out there, so I'm really happy I won."
Cibulkova previously won at Premier level WTA events as well. She conquered Moscow in 2011 and Carlsbad in 2012.
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