Dominika Cibulkova overpowers Marina Erakovic in the second round – Mercury Insurance Open 2012
World number 14, Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, sustained her clean sheet against the 47th ranked New Zealander opponent, Marina Erakovic, in the second round brawl of the Mercury Insurance Open on Thursday. The number two seed Slovak pinned Erakovic in straight set, 6-2, 6-4, taking just one hour and 26 minutes to book a spot in the quarter-final draw of the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) International Tour event in Carlsbad, USA.
It was a pretty one-sided battle, with the 23-year-old Slovak dominating for most of the time. She had defeated the Kiwi contender last year at Stanford with double breadstick, 6-1, 6-1, and repeated the similar sort of domination on Thursday’s eve to get 2-0 in the head-to-head series against her. Cibulkova was absolutely ballistic in the opening set of the match and by the time Erakovic got settled in the contest, the second seeded Slovak had already bagged the opener to lead 1-0. The unseeded kiwi contender tried to pose some resistance in the following set but her bleak baseline defence didn’t allow her to gain any sort of advantage over the aggressive Slovakian. Cibulkova outgun her comprehensively to move a step closer to her maiden championship title of the running season.
"Especially first set I was playing well and relaxed, but in the second set I started to make it a little bit tougher for myself," Cibulkova said. "I was really happy to close it 6-4 in the second set, because after it could have gotten a little more dangerous, if it got to 5-all. I want to be perfect so when I do some mistakes I turn into a negative person. It could cost me the set and the match. I think sometimes my behaviour on the court isn't the best - I think that's what is keeping me from the Top 10."
Cibulkova coughed six double faults in the match but nailed four out of seven break points to come out as the winner. She will face off against the talented Pole contestant, Urszula Radwanska, in the quarter-final brawl on Friday. Radwanska was successful against Melanie Oudin in straight set, 6-2, 6-1, in the second round clash.
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