Radwanska crushes Cibulkova in Sydney final
Agnieszka Radwanska juggernaut ran over hapless Dominika Cibulkova on
Friday, as the Pole won the Sydney International to take her unbeaten
streak this year to nine ahead of the Australian Open.
The top seed crushed Cibulkova 6-0, 6-0 in just over an hour for
back-to-back tournament victories, making the perfect preparation for
the year-opening Grand Slam, which starts in Melbourne on Monday.
It was the world number four's 12th career singles title and she has
yet to drop a set this year. "I'm extremely happy that I've won two
titles in a row and not even losing one set. It's really been amazing
two weeks," Radwanska said. "I definitely didn't really expect that at
all. She's a great player and she had some great wins this week, so I
definitely didn't really expect that score."Radwanska overpowered
Cibulkova, ranked 14th in the world, breaking her serve six times,
winning 68 percent of the points and capitalising on her error-prone
opponent.
Cibulkova, who was unseeded in the tournament, double-faulted on
match point to cap a miserable night's work.
"This is tennis and this is sport. Sometimes things happen like that
and of course I feel bad," Radwanska said. "This was the final, so it's
always supposed to be tight, long match. It was six-love, six-love. She
didn't deserve that score." Radwanska, who beat Belgian Yanina Wickmayer
in the Auckland Classic final last week, made it two tournaments in a
row, with wins in Sydney over 1994 winner Kimiko Date-Krumm, Roberta
Vinci, Li Na and Cibulkova.
But the 23-year-old remains at world number four heading into
Melbourne where she will compete against the top three -- Victoria
Azarenka, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
"I think if I'm going to play like that, like today, in Melbourne, I
will be very happy. So we'll see," Radwanska said.
"Wherever I go I always think I can win it. Melbourne is also that
kind of tournament.
"Being in the top 10, top five now for a couple years, I think it
means that I can also win the Grand Slam." Radwanska faces Australian
qualifier Bojana Bobusic in the opening round of the Open and is seeded
to face China's Li Na in the quarters and Sharapova in the semis.
It was the shortest Sydney women's final by games since Gabriela
Sabatini's 6-1, 6-1 win over Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in 1992.
"It's just sometimes there are days that it's not going your way,"
Cibulkova said. It was just the one for me today."
AFP |