Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia prepares to serve against Australia’s Samantha Stosur during their Qatar Total Open Quarter-final played at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha yesterday. Cibulkova won 7-5. 6-4.
Third-seeded Dominika Cibulkova withstood a tough test from Australia’s Samantha Stosur to advance to the semi-finals of the Qatar Open on a day of big upsets at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex yesterday.
Cibulkova, the world's fifth-ranked player from Slovakia, posted a 7-5, 6-4 victory over the 2011 US Open winner, to taste her first success in six meeting between the two players.
"She was really fighting. It came down to a few points here and there; you can see from the scoreline that it was very tight," the Slovakian said after her match."
“The conditions are tough here, but I'm happy to have gotten lucky this week so far," Cibulkova said.
The win over Stosur, ranked World No. 21, turned out to be the 400the career win for the 27-year-old.
"I tried to have a new tactic against Sam because I'd never beaten her before, and it was really working today. I have to say, I was playing well," said Cibulkova, who won the 2016 WTA Comeback player of the year Award for her remarkable resurgence last season which saw her climb from 66 in Febraury 2016 to the top ten at the end of the year.
The 27-year-old had things under control in the first set taking a 5-1 lead, but Stosur - who was playing her second match of the day – made a late charge but Cibulkova attacking play won the day for her.
In the second set, the World No.5 clinched the crucial break in the ninth game, to make her maiden semifinal appearance in Doha in five appearances.
Cibulkova will face the winner of the quarterfinal between Zhang Shuai and second-seeded Karolina Pliskova.
But the other seeds were not fortune to make it past the last eight stage on a day where the rain affected play, albeit for brief spells late in the evening but not for long spells as it did for the first three days of the event.
Top–seed Germany’s Angelique Kerber, fourth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska and Russia’s Elena Vesnina and were some of the top players who bite the dust in the rain-affected tournament.
Advancing to the quarter-final stage of the tournament were Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, qualifier Lauren Davis, Czech Karolina Pliskova and Russia’s Daria Kasatkina.
Wozniacki defeated Radwanska 7–5, 6-3 to extend her win record to ten in 16 meetings so far.
23-year-old Davis ranked 55 in the world, who came through the qualifying ranks, upset sixth-seeded Vesnina 7-4, 6-2.
Top-seeded Kerber, who was handed a bye, fell at the first hurdle losing 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 to World No. 32 Kasatkina in two hours.
The former World No.1, who is aiming to bounce back to the top of the rankings summit, said she was missing the ‘rhythm’ associated with her game which brought her success last year.
“It's always tough to play the first matches after a longer break like I have. But I was not feeling the best. I'm trying to find my rhythm.
But she (Daria) plays good. I make too many mistakes in the important moments. I think it was, for sure, not my day. I was not feeling the best today,” said the German.
Kerber is eager to get back to top her rhythm right before next week’s championship in Dubai.
“First of all, I have to get ready again and the feel good feeling, because, I was not feeling very good in the last few days. I think this is the most important thing for me right now, looking forward to next week.”
