Dominika Cibulkova on Friday reached the Eastbourne International final after dispatching Puerto Rican qualifier Monica Puig 6-2, 6-1.
The Slovak is to play Karolina Pliskova for the title after the Czech defeated Britain’s Johanna Konta 6-7 (7/5), 6-3, 6-3.
Cibulkova always held the upper hand, holding two break points for a 2-0 lead before breaking for 4-2, and again for the set. A further break for 2-0 in the second set put her firmly on the way to a comfortable victory.
Photo: Reuters
“From the first match I was playing really, really good,” Cibulkova said. “I just kept going. I also had no expectations.”
Pliskova will be seeking her second grass-court title in three weeks after lifting the Nottingham trophy.
Neither player faced a break point in the opening set before Konta claimed the tiebreaker.
Photo: Reuters
Pliskova then broke for 3-1 in the second set, followed by Konta falling while holding three break points in the next game.
Although Konta continued without any apparent ill effects, she failed to break serve and also failed to convert a further two break points in the ninth game.
Pliskova then broke serve twice to lead 3-0 in the final set on the way to ending Konta’s hopes of becoming the first British finalist at the event since Virginia Wade 40 years ago.
Earlier, Cibulkova defeated top seed and former champion Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 in a quarter-final that took more than three hours to complete over two days.
Play resumed after overnight rain with Radwanska leading 3-2 in the second set, but Cibulkova immediately broke to level, and after Radwanska failed to convert a break point to lead 5-4, Cibulkova dominated the tiebreaker.
Radwanska again failed to take advantage of her opportunities in the final set, letting two break points for a 3-1 lead slip away before Cibulkova swept the last four games.
“I don’t think I was playing good enough today,” Radwanska said. “She was playing really aggressive, good tennis.”
Pliskova resumed after an overnight break at 4-0 in the opening set, and the Czech went on to overwhelm former champion Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-1, 6-3.
Britain’s Konta also overcame a Russian former champion, defeating Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.
AEGON NOTTINGHAM
AP, NOTTINGHAM, England
Pablo Cuevas on Friday reached the first grass-court final of his career after beating Gilles Muller in three sets at the Aegon Nottingham Open.
Before this week, the Uruguayan had two match wins on grass in his 12-year career. This week he has won four after beating Muller 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in the semi-finals.
Cuevas is eyeing a sixth career title against Andreas Seppi of Italy or Steve Johnson of the US.
“I’m so happy to reach my first final on grass,” Cuevas said. “I have played every match with more confidence and today I beat an excellent player on grass. Hopefully tomorrow I will enjoy it, too.”
Cuevas has had to rally all week: He was a set down in the second round, saved a match point against Marcos Baghdatis in the quarter-finals and trailed Muller by a set and 4-4. Muller had three break chances, but Cuevas saved them all.
Muller hit 19 aces through the first two sets, but in the tiebreaker, trailing 6-3, he hit a double-fault to concede the second set.
The third set stayed on serve until the fifth game, when Muller was broken for the first time in the match, and smashed his racket in frustration.
Earlier, Johnson quickly finished off his quarter-final with top-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa, who led 4-3 in the third set when darkness forced a suspension on Thursday.
Johnson swept the last three games to complete a 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 6-4 win.
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