Australian Open: Li lines-up Cibulkova in women’s final
Fourth seed sends teenager Bouchard packing in last-four.
Li, 31, has consistently been a solid performer on Melbourne’s plexicushion courts over the last five years. PHOTO: REUTERS
MELBOURNE:
Chinese trailblazer Li Na marched towards a second Grand Slam title Thursday by blasting past teenager Eugenie Bouchard and into the Australian Open final, where she will face Dominika Cibulkova.
The fourth seed steamrolled the rising Canadian 6-2, 6-4 to continue her stellar form at Melbourne Park where she has now reached three finals, as well as another semi-final and the fourth round over the past five years.
After an agonising defeat to Victoria Azarenka in last year’s decider on Rod Laver Arena, when she dramatically twice rolled her ankle and briefly blacked out, she is desperate to go one better.
“It is the third time, so pretty close to the trophy,” the 31-year-old said.
“At least I’ll try to not fall down this time, because last year in the final I think I played well but I only can say (I was) unlucky because I fell down twice.”
Li’s gutsy decision to get up and play on last year won her a new legion of fans in Australia, where she was already hugely popular due to her bubbly off-court persona.
She will go into Saturday’s showdown a clear favourite against Cibulkova, the tournament’s surprise package, who will be making her Grand Slam final debut after crushing fifth seed Agniezska Radwanska 6-1, 6-2.
The 20th seed was in inspired form against the Pole, who said she was exhausted after ending Azarenka’s title defence in three sets on Wednesday.
It ensured Cibulkova not only made her first Grand Slam final in 26 attempts, but also goes down in the history books as the first singles player from her country to get so far.
“I had so many thoughts in my head (during the match) but just focused on my game. I can’t believe I’m in a final,” she said.
Wawrinka squeezes into first Slam final
Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka reached his first Grand Slam final after edging out Tomas Berdych in four tight sets at the Australian Open on Thursday.
The eighth seed beat the Czech 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4) in three hours 31 minutes and will play either Rafael Nadal or fellow Swiss Roger Federer in Sunday’s final.
Wawrinka, who upset three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals, supplants Federer as the Swiss number one by making the final. Federer has held the top Swiss ranking since 2001.
“I’m speechless, it’s amazing. I am so happy to win that match to make my first final here,” said Wawrinka.
“I am working every day to try and win matches. I didn’t expect to make a final in a Grand Slam and tonight it’s happened, so tonight I’m really happy.”
Sania and partner end Aisam’s run
Aisamul Haq Qureshi ended his campaign at the Australian Open when he lost his mixed doubles quarter-final along with Germany’s Julia Goerges on Thursday.
The un-seeded duo was defeated by India’s Sania Mirza and Romania’s Horia Tecau 6-3, 6-4.
The sixth seeds ousted Aisam and Goerges in an hour and two minutes to book their semi-final spot against un-seeded Australian duo Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden.
Gajdosova and Ebden defeated second seeds Katrina Srebotnik and Aisam’s men’s doubles partner Rohan Bopanna 7-5, 6-3 in their quarter-final match.
Earlier, Aisam and Bopanna crashed out in the third round of the doubles event to receive a setback right at the start of the year.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2014.
Chinese trailblazer Li Na marched towards a second Grand Slam title Thursday by blasting past teenager Eugenie Bouchard and into the Australian Open final, where she will face Dominika Cibulkova.
The fourth seed steamrolled the rising Canadian 6-2, 6-4 to continue her stellar form at Melbourne Park where she has now reached three finals, as well as another semi-final and the fourth round over the past five years.
After an agonising defeat to Victoria Azarenka in last year’s decider on Rod Laver Arena, when she dramatically twice rolled her ankle and briefly blacked out, she is desperate to go one better.
“It is the third time, so pretty close to the trophy,” the 31-year-old said.
“At least I’ll try to not fall down this time, because last year in the final I think I played well but I only can say (I was) unlucky because I fell down twice.”
Li’s gutsy decision to get up and play on last year won her a new legion of fans in Australia, where she was already hugely popular due to her bubbly off-court persona.
She will go into Saturday’s showdown a clear favourite against Cibulkova, the tournament’s surprise package, who will be making her Grand Slam final debut after crushing fifth seed Agniezska Radwanska 6-1, 6-2.
The 20th seed was in inspired form against the Pole, who said she was exhausted after ending Azarenka’s title defence in three sets on Wednesday.
It ensured Cibulkova not only made her first Grand Slam final in 26 attempts, but also goes down in the history books as the first singles player from her country to get so far.
“I had so many thoughts in my head (during the match) but just focused on my game. I can’t believe I’m in a final,” she said.
Wawrinka squeezes into first Slam final
Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka reached his first Grand Slam final after edging out Tomas Berdych in four tight sets at the Australian Open on Thursday.
The eighth seed beat the Czech 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4) in three hours 31 minutes and will play either Rafael Nadal or fellow Swiss Roger Federer in Sunday’s final.
Wawrinka, who upset three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals, supplants Federer as the Swiss number one by making the final. Federer has held the top Swiss ranking since 2001.
“I’m speechless, it’s amazing. I am so happy to win that match to make my first final here,” said Wawrinka.
“I am working every day to try and win matches. I didn’t expect to make a final in a Grand Slam and tonight it’s happened, so tonight I’m really happy.”
Sania and partner end Aisam’s run
Aisamul Haq Qureshi ended his campaign at the Australian Open when he lost his mixed doubles quarter-final along with Germany’s Julia Goerges on Thursday.
The un-seeded duo was defeated by India’s Sania Mirza and Romania’s Horia Tecau 6-3, 6-4.
The sixth seeds ousted Aisam and Goerges in an hour and two minutes to book their semi-final spot against un-seeded Australian duo Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden.
Gajdosova and Ebden defeated second seeds Katrina Srebotnik and Aisam’s men’s doubles partner Rohan Bopanna 7-5, 6-3 in their quarter-final match.
Earlier, Aisam and Bopanna crashed out in the third round of the doubles event to receive a setback right at the start of the year.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2014.