Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei exited the second round of the Australian Open yesterday as diminutive Dominika Cibulkova kept her campaign on track as the sixth seed moved deeper into a tournament that has happy memories.
The 27-year-old Slovak, traveling under the radar, despite winning the WTA Finals in October last year, saw off Hsieh on Margaret Court Arena 6-4, 7-6 (10/8), winning on her fifth match point.
It set up a third-round clash against Russian 30th seed Ekaterina Makarova, who progressed after her opponent Sara Errani retired while losing 6-2, 3-2 with what appeared to be a leg injury.
Photo: AP
If Cibulkova comes through that, dangerous ninth seed Johanna Konta or Caroline Wozniacki, a former world No. 1, could be next up.
“I had the match under control, but in the end she was hitting some great shots,” Cibulkova said. “I lost confidence a bit, but was trying to be really mentally there. I’m really happy to be in the third round, but my performance could be better.”
She said that she was approaching the year with the aim of being mentally strong as she challenges for a maiden Grand Slam title.
“That’s what I did today so I’m very happy,” she said.
Ranked six after her victory at the season-ending WTA Finals in Singapore, upsetting world No. 1 Angelique Kerber, Cibulkova has high hopes at Melbourne Park.
Voted the WTA Comeback Player of the Year last year, she has history at the Australian Open, making the final in 2014 only to lose to China’s Li Na before injuries derailed her career.
The energetic Slovak was always in charge on a hot Melbourne day, breaking in the sixth and 10th games to take control of the first set.
Cibulkova was playing some fantastic tennis and looked to be cruising through the second set before Hsieh broke in the ninth game.
Cibulkova, who owns her own sportswear and accessories line, with profits helping the needy in Slovakia, bounced straight back to set up a tiebreak, in which she held her nerve to seal the match.
In the first round of the women’s doubles, Taiwan’s Chan Chin-wei and Junri Namigata of Japan fell to a 6-3, 6-1 defeat to Tatjana Maria of Germany and Pauline Parmentier of France in just 59 minutes.
Chan and Namigata failed to convert any of the seven break point they created, while Maria and Parmentier converted four of six.
Additional reporting by staff writer
HOMETOWN ZERO: Fans relished the fall of former Brewer-turned-Cubs manager Craig Counsell, as Milwaukee braces to face the Dodgers, who in 2018 denied them a pennant Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy has referred to his team as the “Average Joes,” a nod to their small-market status and lack of big names, but after they beat rivals the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in the decisive fifth game of their National League Division Series (NLDS) on Saturday night, Murphy decided it was time for an upgrade. “You can call them the average Joes, but I say they’re the above-average Joes,” he said. The Brewers relied on contributions from just about every player to get past the Cubs. Andrew Vaughn hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth inning, and William Contreras and Brice
Mexico’s teenage playmaker Gilberto Mora has lit up the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile as he basks in the limelight afforded by the absences of Barcelona and Real Madrid stars Lamine Yamal and Franco Mastantuono. “I don’t know if I’m the biggest star, and I’m not really interested in that. I think you can always give more,” 16-year-old Mora said before Mexico’s 4-1 win against host nation Chile in the round-of-16 on Tuesday, in which he provided the assist for the opening goal. Next on Mora’s schedule is a quarter-final clash against Argentina this morning Taiwan time, but after
‘SOMETHING SPECIAL’: Nathan Lukes hit a two-run single and Addison Barger had three of Toronto’s 12 hits as the Blue Jays bounced back After taking down the storied New York Yankees in their own ballpark in their American League Division Series on Wednesday, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider was ready to revel in the triumph. “Start spreading the news,” Schneider said while popping a bottle of bubbly to set off the Blue Jays’ jubilant celebration inside their Yankee Stadium clubhouse. With the party under way, the familiar lyrics from Frank Sinatra’s version of New York, New York — the Yankees’ long-time victory anthem — sounded in the background as roaring Toronto players sprayed each other with booze in the Bronx. This time, it was their
‘IT’S BASEBALL’: In just the second error to end a post-season series in the MLB, the Phillies reliever fumbled a comebacker and threw to home, despite the signal Eyes red, Orion Kerkering on Thursday received words of support from his Philadelphia Phillies teammates. “Just keep your head up. It’s an honest mistake. Just, it’s baseball,” he remembered hearing. “You’ll be good for a long time to come,” they added. “It’s not my fault, then. We had opportunities to score,” was the message he kept getting. Kerkering made a wild throw past home plate instead of tossing to first after mishandling Andy Pages’ bases-loaded comebacker with two outs in the 11th inning. Pinch-runner Kim Hye-seong scored and the Phillies were eliminated with a 2-1 loss that gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a
RSS