Third-seeded Dominika Cibulkova battled past an aggressive Stefanie Voegele on Thursday to set up a quarter-final clash with Urszula Radwanska at the WTA Bank of the West Classic.
Slovakia’s Cibulkova let 5-2 leads slip in each set, but emerged with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) victory
“I expected a really tough match, because she’s playing really well right now,” Cibulkova said of Voegele, who fired 10 aces in the match.
Photo: EPA
“I played her a long time ago. I remember she plays close to the lines. I knew it would be a tough match,” Cibulkova said.
“It could have been an easier match for me though — I was 5-2 up first set and 5-2 up second set — but in the end I always made it, and even though it could have been easier, I’m still happy with the win,” she said.
Seventh-seeded Radwanska of Poland edged Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3). Hantuchova led 4-1 in the first set and was twice up a break in the second, but failed to hold on.
Photo: AFP
The Pole trailed 0-3 in the second-set tiebreaker, but won the last seven points to seal the win.
Fourth-seeded American Jamie Hampton reached the last eight with a hard-fought 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 victory over US wild card Nicole Gibbs.
Hampton next faces Russia’s Vera Dushevina, who beat American Madison Keys 7-6 (7/0), 6-2.
The two remaining quarters will see top-seed Agnieszka Radwanska, Urszula’s sister, face American Varvara Lepchenko, and Olga Govortsova of Belarus take on Sorana Cirstea of Romania.
BAKU CUP
AP, BAKU
Israel’s Shahar Peer defeated third-seeded South African Chanelle Scheepers 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 on Thursday to advance to the quarter-finals of the Baku Cup.
Peer was due to face Slovenia’s Tadeja Majeric in the last eight yesterday.
Majeric prevailed 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 over Tereza Martincova of the Czech Republic, securing victory with three second-set breaks.
Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beat Nastassja Burnett of Italy 6-0, 7-6 (3) to line up a quarter-final against second-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia.
In other games on Thursday, Magda Linette of Poland rallied to beat Czech player Kristyna Pliskova 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 and Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan defeated Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
SSC Napoli’s Italian Serie A title hopes suffered a late setback on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Genoa, setting up a thrilling season finale with closest rivals Inter just one point behind. The hosts remain top with 78 points, holding a slim lead over Inter, who won 2-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday, with two rounds remaining. To make matters worse for Napoli, midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, struggling with an ankle injury, was forced off just minutes after the match began. Scott McTominay delivered a perfect pass into the box where Romelu Lukaku got
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he