Dominika Cibulkova produced yet another upset at the Australian Open 2014 after the diminutive Slovakian stunned fifth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals on Thursday. The 20th-seed produced a number of winners that saw her leading 6-1, 4-0 before Radwanska found a bit of momentum. In the end, Cibulkova was the better player to post a 6-1, 6-2 victory and advance to her first Grand Slam final. She will face three-time finalist Li Na for the title on Saturday.
Cibulkova revealed that she wasn’t thinking whether she has a chance of reaching her first Slam final during the match.
“Not at all. I wasn’t thinking about that for the whole match,” Cibulkova said. “I was just trying to focus on my game. From the first point to the last point I was just trying to do all of the right things.
“Of course it was not easy when I was up in the second set. The thought started to come into my head that I could win, and the result and everything else. But I have to say I was 100% ready for it.”
The Slovak said that part of her inspiration was the Wimbledon 2013 win of one of her best friends on tour, Marion Bartoli of France.
“She was a big inspiration,” Cibulkova said. “We are very close friends, she’s one of my best friends, and I knew she was working so hard for it, and she really was the one who deserved it so much.
“When she won Wimbledon I knew everything is possible.”
Cibulkova said that right after the semifinal match, Bartoli went to see her in the gym. They were hugging and crying for the victory and Cibulkova said that Bartoli was genuinely happy for her.
As for Radwanska, the loss was disappointing but added that she couldn’t really complain about it.
“Of course I wanted to win today. It’s very disappointing, especially since I didn’t play a Top 5 player, but it’s a little different as well, since I think she’s having one of the best tournaments of her career. But the semifinals of a Grand Slam is still a good result.
“So I cannot complain about that, but of course you want even more.”
