2015 Australian Open: Dominika Cibulkova Beats Victoria Azarenka, Faces Serena Williams In Women’s Quarter-Final

Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia defeated Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in three sets, 6-2 3-6 6-3 in the fourth round of the women’s singles competition in the 2015 Australian Open in Melbourne. The 11th seed Slovakian advanced to the quarter-final round where she will lface world no. 1 Serena Williams of the United States.

Cibulkova was the clear aggressor in the opening set attacking the net, 3/3 on net points, and also having 3 aces. She also broke Azarenka three times to win the set easily, 6-2. Azarenka returned the favour in the second set as she also attacked the net, 12/15 on net points, to win all 3 break opportunities in the set and win it, 6-3. In the final set, it was Cibulkova who took advantage of Azarenka’s 15 unforced despite 14 of her own. Cibulkova had seven opportunities to break Azarenka and she delivered three times.

“Today was extremely, extremely good match from my side. I would say it was a high level of tennis. The first set, the way I played, was just really, really -- no mistakes,” Cibulkova said in an interview in the tournament’s official website. “I was going for my shots and I was just doing the right things. I was really putting her under so much pressure. And then -- then she stepped up in the second set much more.”

Azarenka admitted that Cibulkova, who was the runner-up in the 2014 Australian Open, was attacking her the entire match and it paid off.

“She really went for her shots today and was very fearless throughout whole match. She's the type of player that sometimes you just get -- she gets in that groove and it's a little bit difficult to break that rhythm,” Azarenka said in the post-match interview.

“But I think I still had my opportunities, and I really just didn't -- I wasn't present enough today, and she was there. She jumped on those opportunities and really took control of that. So I think in that aspect, I have to give her a lot of credit.”

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