After surviving a scare in the third round with a comeback victory, Agnieszka Radwanska could not pull the trick two rounds in a row as the third-seeded Pole once again saved a match point in the second set before forcing a third, only this time falling in an epic third set to Dominika Cibulkova. Radwanska would break back as her opponent served for the match in the second, but could not hold on, eventually falling 6-3, 5-7, 9-7 in the fourth round of Wimbledon.
Early break enough for Cibulkova
The Slovakian did not waste much time going after the weaker Radwanska serve. In the fourth game of the first set, already up 2-1, Cibulkova hit a pair of winners on her way to a 15-40 lead and drew an error to grab the early break lead. She would consolidate with a hold to stretch the lead to 4-1.
The former Australian Open runner-up kept charging, throwing everything she had at Radwanska in an attempt to make it a double break lead. After pushing the game to deuce, Cibulkova twice stood at 40-AD, but could not convert either break point. The Pole needed a pair of game points to keep the deficit to just one break. But the Slovakian did not give the third seed a single look on serve, holding both of her remaining games to seal the opening set.
Radwanska battles back to force decider
The second set started in a similar fashion as the first, with Cibulkova breaking in Radwanska’s second service game to grab an early lead. But this time, the Pole was quick to respond, scoring her first break of the match in the very next game. After the pair exchanged holds, Cibulkova would grab another break to lead 4-3, only for Radwanska to break back again.
For the third time in the set, the Slovakian broke to give herself a lead and this time, it put her a game away from victory. But serving for the match, the familiar pattern continued. After saving two break points, Cibulkova held a match point but missed a backhand and Radwanska would go on to break back again. Finally, the Pole snapped the trend by holding for a 6-5 lead. The Slovakian was unable to follow suit, as Radwanska reeled off her third straight break to send the match to a deciding set.
Cibulkova saves match point before winning epic
Radwanska poured the pressure on immediately in the third, reaching break point in Cibulkova’s first service game but was unable to take advantage. In the fourth game, it was the Pole’s turn to dig herself out of trouble, battling back from double break point down before holding. Two games later, Cibulkova took full advantage of a 0-40 lead, converting her first break point for a late lead in the decider. But the second set trend continued as Radwanska broke right back again to put the set back on serve.
In the following game, the Slovakian took a 15-40 lead, only for Radwanska to roar back and hold. From here on in, Cibulkova was serving to stay in the match. After she held, the craziest game of the match took place. After pushing the game to deuce, the Slovakian would hold five break points at 40-AD but could not convert any of them as every point ended with either a winner or error from Cibulkova. Radwanska would hold to put the pressure back on the Slovakian. In the next game, the Pole held match point at 30-40, but it was saved by a forehand winner from Cibulkova.
The missed opportunity seemed to haunt Radwanska, as she was broken to 15 in the following game. But just as she had ever since the first set, the Slovakian would stumble while trying to consolidate her break. A pair of unforced errors gave the third seed break point which she converted with a backhand winner. Cibulkova kept coming and broke again in the following game and then finally, after almost three hours of back and forth tennis, the Slovakian finally consolidated a break, closing out the match with a forehand winner at AD-40.
By the numbers
Cibulkova managed to claim victory despite a terrible break point conversion rate. She broke serve seven times out of 22 opportunities. Lucky for her, Radwanska, who still won 60 percent of her break point chances, only had ten opportunities overall and most importantly could not convert the one she held in the third set which was a match point. Cibulkova had a massive 56 winners, but also hit 39 unforced errors. Radwanska only had 37 winners and 20 unforced errors.
Cibulkova goes on to play Elena Vesnina in the quarterfinals.