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Data urodzenia: 06.05.1989
Miejsce urodzenia i zamieszkania: Bratysława, Słowacja
Narodowość: Słowacja
Wzrost: 161 cm
Masa ciała: 55 kg
Gra: praworęczna, oburęczny backhand
Status profesjonalny od: 2004
Trener: Matej Liptak
Q. How does it feel? Good getting an upset like this over Maria?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, obviously it feels great, and especially I played well and it was a tough match. You know, I still I don't want to say I can't believe that I won, but it's like, you know, it's just too short, and I'm just really happy about everything.
Q. Your best result here. How does that make you feel?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, it feels this is what I'm really, really happy for, you know, finally, finally I made it.
I showed that I had great preseason in December, and, you know, I could show it on the court, so it feels amazing.
Q. Could you tell that she was not 100% physically when you were playing?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I don't know. I didn't see during the rallies. She was running, and, I don't know. Of course I knew that she took the medical timeout, but she was trying to change my rhythm a lot of times during the games.
Also during the serve she was playing with the toss and all these things to make me wait for the serve a lot.
I think she was trying to do a lot with the rhythm and to not let me go in my rhythm.
Q. In the on court interview after the match, you spoke about how you had beaten her before in a big game. How important was that self belief coming in?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, this is, I would say, the most important thing, you know. I went on the court, and I was more than 100% sure that I really can beat her. I can beat her on the big court, in the important match, you know, on the Grand Slam.
I did it before, and I knew she knows me. I also knew that she knows it's going to be a tough match. I was prepared for it, and I was prepared to give 100%.
Q. Were you bothered by her messing around with her toss?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Let me say maybe a little bit. When the match was coming to the end, I was getting like a little bit angry about that, you know. I was keep talking myself, like, Why she doing that? I thought it was on the purpose.
But it was just maybe few seconds I let my thinking go away. But that what I was also working on during my preseason, you know, to let me stay focused and not to let me thoughts go away.
Q. Is that the sort of thing that may have distracted you in the past?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, I would say so. There were many things that could distract me in the past. You know, my mind could go away for maybe game or two, and then with these players sometimes it's enough to lose a set and the match.
Yeah, this is the thing I'm really proud of myself that I was really working on, and it's showing good.
Q. When you say she was doing some things on purpose to affect you, would you call that gamesmanship?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: What does it mean?
Q. You know, like kind of underhanded tactics to win the match.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I don't know. You know, there are many ways that you can beat a player, you know. She knew that I am playing well. I was playing well through the whole tournament, you know. She knew it for sure.
But, you know, maybe I'm wrong, you know. Maybe she was just really feeling nervous on the serve and not doing the toss thing on the purpose. But, yeah, I think it was something about tactic.
Q. Was there any wind out there to speak of that may have affected her ball toss, do you think?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I don't feel that it was that windy. I mean, it was windy a little bit from one side, but it was still quite okay.
Q. How big is the satisfaction then under these circumstances to have won this match against her?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, that's what I just wanted to say. It's not that I just beat her like I beaten her at Roland Garros 6 0, 6 2. It was completely different match.
This one was we both played really well. It was a really tough match. I came out from one set down. This is what makes me really strong and proud of myself.
Q. When you had your break, your short break at the end of the second set and you came back on court, were you surprised that she was going off court? Did that surprise you?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: No, no, not really. When I knew that there was a trainer coming, I thought they going to go off court and they going to do the treatment there.
No, I wasn't thinking about it.
Q. How important was the last game in the second set? You go up 5 0; she wins four games. Maybe if you don't win that game right there it changes the whole match, no?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: That's a good point. I think I was breaking through game, or I don't know how to say. It was really, really important game to stay in the match, you know. It could be very different if it was 5 All then set for me.
So I think this game I was going for my shots, and I really played well.
Q. With Maria and also now Serena out, how big is the chance for you? How excited are you by that?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I just I don't want to think about it, you know. I came here to play my best tennis. The thing that changed maybe that I'm playing so well. You know, I'm trying to also enjoy tennis.
I love what I'm doing, and I don't want to put too much pressure, because then it's I don't want to suffer on the court, you know. I love the game and I love to play tennis. I'm very good player, so I don't want to have two opponents, the real one and me.
I'm just trying to play against the opponent.
Q. What does it say about you, now you've reached quarterfinals of every Grand Slam which shows some consistency, no?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yes. Actually I didn't know. I just realize now. It's great, you know. I think this was the only Grand Slam where I just had my fourth round and a couple of bad losses.
What I can say, you know? I'm just I want to go forward in tournaments.
MTT: Singles W(18): Kuala Lumpur 09, Memphis 10, Eastbourne 10, World Tour Finals 10, Cincinnati 12, Auckland 14, Sydney 16, Quito 17, Buenos Aires 17, Halle 17, Umag 17, Auckland 18, Eastbourne 19, Geneva 22, Auckland 23, Washington 23, Paris 23, Miami 24 Singles F(15): Metz 09, Basel 09, Johannesburg 10, Stuttgart 10, Toronto 10, Valencia 10, San Jose 11, Buenos Aires 16, Miami 17, Tokyo 17, IO Tokyo 20, Tokyo 23, Montpellier 24, Buenos Aires 24, Monte Carlo 24 Doubles W (5): Roland Garros 11, US Open 11, Monte Carlo 23, Toronto 23, World Tour Finals 23
Q. How pleased are you to be able to back up such a good victory against Sharapova?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Of course I'm really glad with the way I played, especially with the way I handled it mentally. It was a big win against Maria.
But I wasn't favorite in this match again against Halep, you know.
I walked on the court with the confident that I can do it again today. I was so focusing what I have to do, to do the right things. That was all what I wanted to do, and of course enjoy my tennis again.
Q. Your opponent, she said she didn't really feel like she was mentally ready for the occasion. Did you feel the difference out there today?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, I think it was also very important today because I already was on the stage. I already played couple quarterfinals in the Grand Slam. I already did semifinals in a Grand Slam.
So that was my experience today. I was ready for it. It was for me like every other match. So I didn't take it too much, you know, like too serious, so I put myself under pressure.
Yeah, I think also in this I was better today.
Q. Your other Grand Slam semifinal appearances, how are you a different player now?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: That time I was 19 years old. I was pretty young. I would say also a different player. You know, I am much more experienced.
I went through so many things also already in my career. I would say more mature, yeah.
Q. You mentioned not being favored. Your record against Agnieszka or Victoria says you won't be favored in the semis. Do you like that?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, I mean, of course it's less pressure, even if it's not less pressure, you know, to play against big names.
But now, you know, it's quarterfinals, semifinals. In the end of the second week of the Grand Slam. Nothing is easy. There is pressure you can feel from everywhere.
So, you know, I still want to do the same thing what I came into the tournament. I want to really enjoy it. I want to play my tennis. That's when I play my best.
Q. You've had tough losses and big wins against both of them. How does that affect you going into this match?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, I already beat both of them. It's going to be very tough, for sure. Both opponents are big fighters and a great player.
It just gives me enough confidence, you know, to go into this match and to know that I beat both of them. I know what I have to do. We know each other really well. We are the same age. We played so many times each other.
For sure it's going to be really, really tough match.
Q. You played a really good match today. Was it your intention to go out and be so aggressive from the start?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, of course. It was something we were talking about with my coach. I know how is Simona playing. She's running a lot of, giving a lot of balls back. I knew I have to be aggressive enough.
But sometimes it's not easy because sometimes when you go for too much, it's too many mistakes. I knew I had to step into the court and play a lot to her weaknesses, use my backhand down the line that she was not expecting, to play some unexpectable shots.
Reads the game very well. Even if you play well, you play fast, she's there at the ball.
Q. Isn't that the same thing when you play Vika or Agnieszka, you have to bring something unexpected?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: If you play against the best players, you cannot do the same things all the time. They know if you serve T and you give them two aces, so she's going to stand there next time.
You have to change sometimes the tactic. When you go for the winner, I cannot go into the same spot, you know.
Yeah, today I bring up my backhand down the line. I was playing from the first balls. It's something little bit new in my game.
Q. How have you learned to put big losses behind you? If you look at your rivalries with both of them, how do you put those behind you and move on?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: That's something of course that is not easy, because if you have such a bad loss against somebody, you know, you come into this match, you know what happened in the past and you cannot forget it.
You just have to, you know, go against it, you know, to be stronger than what happened before. So Wawrinka, he beat Djokovic last night. There was something also what happened to me in the past.
Q. How important was your win in California at Stanford in terms of your confidence in your game?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Last year, it wasn't the best year I could tell. But especially that week, it was the best week, I would say, of the year. I needed something like that.
I knew my game is good, but I just didn't show it on the matches and on the court. So that week was really something that year I needed to hold on.
Q. Equaling your best appearance today, best result at a Grand Slam, do you try and embrace the vibe around the park in terms of the pressure placed on you in a semifinal?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, I mean, in the semifinals, still enjoying the moment that I beat Simona like one hour ago, so I cannot tell.
We're going to play tomorrow. As I said, you know, I don't want to play different tennis than what I came here for this tournament. I was playing aggressive. I was playing free. I really enjoy my time on the court, you know.
That's what I want to do. If I put pressure I play nervous, and that's not what I want to do.
Q. You've had big slam runs before. You've made quarters at all four slams. You haven't been top 10 yet, which is unusual. Why do you think you've had these big results but not the consistency?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, that was the thing, the consistency. I could beat big player and then to lose to not such a good ranked players. That's what we were trying to work on with my coach, also to be able to play under this pressure that I have to beat this player, so I'm going to beat her.
This is something what we really work on. We work on my mental thing. Everything keeps getting together, yeah.
Q. What are the good things and maybe the not so good things about coming from Slovakia?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: What do you mean?
Q. About your home country.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: We are really small country. We are just five million people. I really love to play for my country. I think the people are really so proud that the rest of the world will now know we're from Slovakia, not Slovenia.
Otherwise it's not such a big difference.
Q. You were watching the match last night?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, I did, but I have to turn it off 4 All in the fifth set because I know I have to go to sleep early and I knew I was going to keep watching. It was 4 All. I said to my boyfriend, Just turn it off; I cannot watch it anymore.
Q. Did you find yourself pulling for Stan because he was the underdog?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yes. I don't know if I can tell you like this, but I was cheering for him. I know what does it mean to lose such a match like he lost last year. I never play on five sets, but I lost matches like this before. I know what does it mean to be on the same spot against same player.
You just want to prove it to yourself that you can do it, and that's what he did it.
Q. Did we interrupt you watching Aga/Vika?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: No, I was doing my recovery, my stretching. I watched a little bit. But basically I know them really well. My coach is watching.
Q. What are your preferences for the semifinal, which player?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I never say who I prefer to play because then sometimes it doesn't need to turn up well.
Who's going to win, that's going to be my opponent. We'll see.
Q. Who do you think the tallest woman you have a win over has been, and who in mixed doubles, the tallest man, do you have a win over?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I have no idea. I don't know.
Q. There's been four straight matches now with the men and women combined where the lower ranked player won. Do you think when Maria and Serena go out there the underdogs get more confidence and it becomes contagious a little bit?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: It's not easy because many times before on the big tournaments I beat top 10 player, you beat such a names, then you have to play against somebody you should beat and it's completely different story.
That's what I'm trying to now work on. I think also it was not easy for Ana yesterday, to come out after such a big win, Serena, to play. Because she was favorite in this match against Bouchard. So I knew how she was feeling on the court.
Q. Martina Navratilova talked about the age of power tennis, height is a real disadvantage. You're overcoming tall players. How do you do it?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: How? Obviously I'm not a tall player. I would say I'm the smallest on tour.
But, you know, I would say I'm pretty quick on my feet. I do a lot of good footwork. I'm really powerful on the court. I have very good groundstrokes. My forehand is pretty fast.
Yeah, when I play my great tennis, I'm really aggressive. I don't know, that's what I do the best.
Q. How confident are you that you'll be able to play as aggressive as you did today against Agnieszka or Vika?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Every match I play against of them, it was me who was doing pressure on them. I was the one who was dictating the game, the one who was going for bigger shots.
So they both are great players. I just want to keep my focus, you know, to stay aggressive.
MTT: Singles W(18): Kuala Lumpur 09, Memphis 10, Eastbourne 10, World Tour Finals 10, Cincinnati 12, Auckland 14, Sydney 16, Quito 17, Buenos Aires 17, Halle 17, Umag 17, Auckland 18, Eastbourne 19, Geneva 22, Auckland 23, Washington 23, Paris 23, Miami 24 Singles F(15): Metz 09, Basel 09, Johannesburg 10, Stuttgart 10, Toronto 10, Valencia 10, San Jose 11, Buenos Aires 16, Miami 17, Tokyo 17, IO Tokyo 20, Tokyo 23, Montpellier 24, Buenos Aires 24, Monte Carlo 24 Doubles W (5): Roland Garros 11, US Open 11, Monte Carlo 23, Toronto 23, World Tour Finals 23
Q. Your first Grand Slam final. You have to be really excited. Did you see today coming?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, you know, not at all. I wasn't thinking about that for the whole match. I was just trying to focus on my game. Since the first point till the last point of the match I was just trying to do the right things, as I said.
I wanted to enjoy. Of course it was not easy when I was up in the second set. The thought started to come that I could win, the result and everything. I have to say, I was 100% ready for it and I was just doing what I had to do. That's why I won.
It wasn't easy, because against her you have to earn every point, you have to do the right thing, and that's what I did.
Q. Your scores the last four matches are ridiculous. Can you explain it?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: When you look at it this way, it is nice for me. I didn't spend so much time on the court. I'm playing in Grand Slam, you know. I'm in the finals of Grand Slam. The only three set match was against Sharapova. That's something unbelievable.
But I was going into every match, you know, just to play my game and play well. This is what happen.
Q. Is there something different about the way you're feeling the ball?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, I'm feeling the ball really well, hitting good on the practice. Even I was feeling good. With the matches, you know, I start to get more confident. I just continue to do like what I do well, yeah.
Q. You're ranked outside the top 10, but do you believe the way you're playing at the moment you're a top 10 player?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, this top 10 talk, I don't want to talk about it anymore. So many years that everybody kept telling me, You should be top 10; why you not top 10? I'm just not.
So we'll see what's going to happen. If I play like this, yeah, it might happen.
Q. Do you feel like your form is peaking? Do you think you're playing your best tennis ever?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: It's hard to say. Of course, you know, I'm playing great. I'm playing really, really well, giving 100% of what I'm capable to do on the court in the match. That's the most important thing.
Yeah, I would say I'm playing great tennis, yeah.
Q. You're a small woman. Around the world lots of girls say, I can't compete against these big players. What do you feel about that?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: It's not about how tall are you. Even if you are tall, it doesn't mean that you are 100% going to make it, you know. It's just you have to really want something and just believe in it, you know. There is nothing more important than this.
Q. You said on court that you felt your energy or your fire early in your life. When did you sense that you were born with that?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I don't know. I have it since I was little kid, you know. When I play my best tennis, that's where you can see like the power and the fight. You know, you have to have something extra if you want to be one of the best tennis players and you are not the tallest, as I said.
So, yeah, this is what is my extra.
Q. Did you ever hear about Amanda Coetzer, No. 3 in the world, and was much shorter than you are?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, of course I heard. She was that kind of a player when I was starting to play tennis I think she was still playing. She was the one I cannot say I was looking up to her, but I knew she was really little, that there are some players that can do it that are so little.
Q. Coming into the final on Saturday, there will be so much excitement, nerves. How do you deal with that?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: It will be my first Grand Slam final. You know, I'm still enjoying my win over Aga Radwanska. It's good to have one more day, you know. Yesterday was not easy because I didn't have one day off, so I had to think of the semis much more and I couldn't really enjoy my win.
But today is different story. I want to enjoy it few hours. Tomorrow I going to prepare for the finals. It's short time. The tournament is long, it's two weeks. But if you take it step by step, you give all in these two weeks, then you can enjoy.
Q. How do you think you're going to beat Li Na?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, she been in the finals of Grand Slam many times. She already won a Grand Slam, so she know how it is.
I'm playing finals, so that's something beautiful. It's like a dream. So I will go just out there and play my best, try to do my best.
Q. You're pretty close friends with Marion Bartoli. How much did you draw from her Wimbledon win?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: She was a big inspiration. When she won the Wimbledon, we are very close friends, we are one of the best friends, so I knew she was working like so hard for it, so she was the one who deserve it so much.
Yeah, when she won it I knew like everything is possible. Yeah, it was nice.
Q. Did you talk to her during this run here?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, of course. Straight after my semifinal she came into the gym to me. She hugged me. We were both crying. She was so happy for me.
Q. A year ago you had a tough loss in Sydney. If someone came to you after that loss and said, Don't worry about it, next year you will beat Radwanska to get to the Australian Open final...
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I didn't think about it like this, but when you say now, I think I will say that today many times, it's like a dream. It's something so unbelievable. I don't know.
Q. One more question about today's semis. Agnieszka said she was kind of playing in slow motion. Did you feel that on the court?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I was not paying attention to her. As I say every day, I was just 100% on myself. It was about me who was dictating the game. You never know against her because, you know, she defends like I would say the best defensive player in the world.
You have no time to think of her. Just focusing on myself.
Q. You have had many coaches in your life. They all help you, of course, to do what you are today? Has something changed with the last coach that you didn't have before?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, we're working with my coach, Matej Liptak for over one year. We started last year. Like we already working for one year and more.
Yeah, I think also I am more mature. All my coaches help me a lot, but he's got to the stage that now I know that I have to do the right things. I want to do it. It's not that somebody was pushing me to do something else and I didn't understand why.
Now I think he's working with a much more mature Domi. That's why all the things can come together.
Q. Hantuchova and Mecir were the most famous Slovak tennis player. Do you think now you are overcoming them?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I'm the first woman tennis player playing in finals. We are like five or six million, and they are all like cheering for me. Yeah, it's big.
Q. What are your plans for the day of the final?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Nothing unusual. The same thing what I'm doing here for two weeks, you know. I going to have longer sleep and then I going to have a practice. We're going to hit for one, one and a half hour with my coach. Lunch on the courts, then some relaxing in the hotel.
Evening my mind is going to be on the finals match. I want to be 100%. It will be the biggest match of my life.
But I will not go on the court like that. There is no pressure. I'm playing finals, so there is nothing better.
Q. You're beating a new record you probably don't know. Ivanovic said the other day 57 you know; Capriati was 67 you know; there are probably more than 70 you know in this press conference.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Really? You know (laughter).
Q. Can you now validate that good things come in small boxes?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I hope so.
Q. When you beat Voegele, you only lost one game. Did you have a feeling that early that something special was happening here or was it more match by match?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: It was just match by match. When I look in the past, it's different. But, yeah, I was just going match by match not match by match, but ball after ball, game after game.
I think that's how the big wins come. You never start to think when you play second or third round of the final or semifinal. You never think about that.
Q. You played Li Na a couple times before. It was never easy. A couple were very close. What do you think is going to be the key for the match on Saturday?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, it's going to be a final. It's going to be final of the Grand Slam, so it's going to be a pretty big match. In the end of the Grand Slam, everything counts. So I think it's going to be fight for every ball.
You know, it's going to be my first final, so I will just try to enjoy it. Yeah, I'm really looking forward for the match.
Q. Li Na has been here for the last three years out of four in the final. Do you have the belief to win a Grand Slam?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, of course. You need to be 100%. You need to be 100% sure you can do it. Yes, I am. Even if I turns out different way, now I know I can do it.
If I think of it like that, it's finals, it's a big pressure. Still I want to enjoy it on the court. I don't want to suffer on the court. Yeah, that's what I want to do.
Q. What's been the key to your different results now versus Radwanska? Did your comeback at Stanford in that marathon final help you and give you confidence?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Than last time? I don't know. It's different also like what kind of match you play, you know. This was semifinal of the Grand Slam, so it's big thing. Like I said, you have to be 100% sure you can do it.
Today I was doing everything right. I was going for my shots. I was just doing everything perfect. Maybe she was more nervous. You never know. That's what can combine everything, yeah.
Q. Can you sleep quietly before a big, big match?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: We'll see. I can tell you on Saturday how it's like. I don't know.
Q. How much energy is your group in the box giving you? Seems like it's a strong connection.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: It is a strong connection. I have strong connection with my coach. He's not sitting in the box.
But my box is like really giving me some energy, you know, supporting. I feel them there. Today I felt actually when I was going I think I was 3 0 up and I was going on their side, or maybe it was 4 1, I don't remember, I felt like little bit stronger on the other side.
I knew I have them behind me. So I was, yeah, feeling better.
Q. If you win the Australian Open, do you think you'd find time to get married?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Oh, is tough question. I'm not planning to quit my career even if I win. So, yeah, I don't know. We'll see.
Q. Every other day you had a match until today. Does that change your rhythm? Is it hard not having a day off?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, it was a little bit different because, you know, I came into the semifinals. It was big thing for me. There was no time to really enjoy, you know, to process it all.
After two hours I did my media, I already had to deal with my head on that match, on today's match, so I could be 100%. That's what I did. That's why I'm happy I have tomorrow day off. It will be little bit easier.
MTT: Singles W(18): Kuala Lumpur 09, Memphis 10, Eastbourne 10, World Tour Finals 10, Cincinnati 12, Auckland 14, Sydney 16, Quito 17, Buenos Aires 17, Halle 17, Umag 17, Auckland 18, Eastbourne 19, Geneva 22, Auckland 23, Washington 23, Paris 23, Miami 24 Singles F(15): Metz 09, Basel 09, Johannesburg 10, Stuttgart 10, Toronto 10, Valencia 10, San Jose 11, Buenos Aires 16, Miami 17, Tokyo 17, IO Tokyo 20, Tokyo 23, Montpellier 24, Buenos Aires 24, Monte Carlo 24 Doubles W (5): Roland Garros 11, US Open 11, Monte Carlo 23, Toronto 23, World Tour Finals 23
Dominika Cibulkova: Moją inspiracją jest Marion Bartoli
Dominika Cibulkova jest pierwszą Słowaczką w historii, która wystąpi w finale Wielkiego Szlema. W półfinale oddała zaledwie trzy gemy Agnieszce Radwańskiej.
Dominika Cibulkova pokonała Agnieszkę Radwańską 6:1, 6:2. Było to drugie zwycięstwo Słowaczki nad najlepszą polską tenisistką i równocześnie pierwsze w turnieju wielkoszlemowym. - Byłam skupiona na sobie, to ja dyktowałam grę, więc nie zwracałam większej uwagi na rywalkę. Agnieszka jest najlepiej grającą w defensywie tenisistką na świecie. Dziś wszystko mi wychodziło, może ona była zdenerwowana? Nigdy nie wiadomo - skomentowała półfinałowy mecz zwyciężczyni.
Słowaczka trafiła do dolnej części drabinki, podobnie jak Radwańska. Zawodniczki nie miały więc dnia przerwy przed meczem półfinałowym. W ćwierćfinale Cibulkova nie spędziła zbyt wiele czasu z Simoną Halep na korcie, bowiem straciła zaledwie trzy gemy. - To będzie mój pierwszy finał Wielkiego Szlema, wciąż cieszę się ze zwycięstwa nad Agnieszką. Dobrze jest mieć jeden dzień wolnego przed kolejnym meczem, ale tym razem go nie miałyśmy. Nie zdążyłam wystarczająco się nacieszyć ćwierćfinałową wygraną, ale dziś jest inna historia. W piątek zacznę przygotowywać się do finału, to nie dużo czasu, ale sam turniej jest przecież długi - powiedziała 24-latka. - Nie spędzałam zbyt dużo czasu na korcie, to dobrze dla mnie. Jedyną trzysetówkę rozegrałam z Marią Szarapową. Dobrze czuję piłkę i z meczu na mecz mój tenis jest lepszy, a ja nabieram więcej pewności siebie - dodała.
W sobotnim finale Cibulkova zmierzy się z Na Li, która rozprawiła się z Eugenie Bouchard. Chinka po raz drugi z rzędu zagra o tytuł w Melbourne, przed rokiem uległa Wiktorii Azarence. - Była kilkakrotnie finalistką Wielkiego Szlema, nawet udało jej się wygrać, więc wie jak to jest być w finale. Grałyśmy już wcześniej, ale ten mecz będzie naprawdę wielki, w końcu to Australian Open. Będziemy walczyć o każdą piłkę, a ja już cieszę się na ten mecz - przyznała słowacka zawodniczka.
Cibulkova poza kortem przyjaźni się z Marion Bartoli, która po swoim pierwszym wielkoszlemowym zwycięstwie zakończyła karierę. - Marion jest dla mnie wielką inspiracją. Wiedziałam jak ciężko pracuje i bardzo zasłużyła na to, żeby wygrać Wimbledon. Przyszła do mnie po wygranym półfinale, przytuliła mnie i obie płakałyśmy. Była bardzo szczęśliwa z mojego powodu - opowiedziała Słowaczka. Cibulkova jest zaręczona od prawie dwóch lat z Miso Navarą, czy po ewentualnym zwycięstwie w sobotę znajdzie czas na ślub? - Nie zamierzam zakończyć kariery, jeśli uda mi się wygrać, więc... Nie wiem, zobaczymy - zakończyła z uśmiechem.
Q. You stayed so competitive in the first set. Give us an idea what happened in the second.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Uhm, I was fighting also in the second set, as you can see, but the result is just not the way the match was going, you know.
In first I think I was three games, four games, I was up 30 Love, I didn't manage to win the game. After she won first two games, she just, I would say, relaxed. She was more relaxed and she was going for her shots.
After it was impossible for me to do something and be aggressive because she was just really, really playing well.
Q. How proud are you of yourself right now?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, you know, I just lost the final, so I need some time. Maybe tomorrow morning I will be 100% proud of myself. But now it's just maybe like 50% (laughter).
You know, it was my first Grand Slam finals and I'm just proud with the way I handle it. You know, I just went on the court. I wanted to play my best tennis. It wasn't easy against her because she was playing extremely well.
So I'm quite happy.
Q. Of the two players, you seemed the least nervous in the first set. Did you feel that she might have been a little nervous?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I mean, I didn't realize. I mean, I was walking on court and I knew she will be the one under more pressure, I would say so, because she was the one that was supposed to win and finally get a title here.
So, yeah, but always when it was tight and she played a big point.
Q. In the presentation ceremony, you looked very calm. Was that an act or were you able to think that it was a great moment?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I was just myself. You know, it was real long two weeks, very nice two weeks for me. I mean, the most beautiful. You know, I don't know, I was just myself out there.
Q. How do you think your life might change?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: We'll see. I mean, I don't know. I'm really looking forward to go back home. In Slovakia, as I said, it's huge thing, it's really big. I am happy I represent my country so well.
So, yeah, we'll see.
Q. On the stand there was Chris Evert. Li Na, as well. Do you sense she's a special personality?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I have to say she's one of the nicest players on tour, you know. I really like her. I think everybody likes her sense of humor, you know. Yeah, she's a great player and a grand champion.
It was nice to be there next to her and to Chrissy.
Q. What did you feel was the difference between you and Li?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: The difference? She was the one who was dictating the game, you know. Today I can only regret that my serve was not really there maybe because I felt not a little nervous, but my serve wasn't working, you know.
Then she could push me from the first balls, and I was under pressure all the times. Sometimes I catch myself running one meter behind the baseline. That's not how I play.
This is why she was better.
Q. You have Germany in the Fed Cup. Do you see that as a chance to have a homecoming?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, I think it will be crazy, you know. Always Fed Cup in Slovakia is a big thing. Especially now I think it's going to be huge. I love to play for my country. I love to play Fed Cup. So now it's going to be really nice challenge.
Q. What did you do to prepare for the match today? How did you spend your day?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Nothing special. I was in hotel. We had lunch in hotel. I was just relaxing in my room. Not much.
We came here at like 4:00. I had hit on Rod Laver. I had two hours before the match to be prepared and get ready everything.
Q. When you were walking through the corridors, it looked like you were trying to stop yourself from smiling. How much did you enjoy that moment?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, you know, I really enjoyed it because I wanted to enjoy it from the first moment until the last, you know. And I felt happy, you know, to walk on the court. So maybe that's why.
Q. How much confidence does this give you for the future?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I would say a lot. I would say really, really a lot. When you play a Grand Slam finals, it's not just like that, you know. It's a big step. I'm ready to take it, you know. I was waiting for this for a long time. Now I want to do 100% to keep it up.
Q. Do you feel you can win a Grand Slam?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yes, yes, I feel that way. I'm just 24. I'm 24 years old and already play in Grand Slam finals. I feel like my game is there to challenge the biggest names, you know, to beat them, so why not?
Q. Is it going to be a challenge, Domi, to keep the tennis at this level so you'll be a force at every Grand Slam and WTA event?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yes, of course. It's of course going to be a challenge. Of course you cannot play your best tennis every day. It's not possible. That's what I was working on: to be more consistent.
Yeah, this is what the best players are about.
Q. Does this change your expectation leading into something like Roland Garros?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah, of course it's change your way you see. Now I know I'm 100% sure I can do it, you know. I get so much confidence from this tournament.
I don't want to see it as a pressure, you know. I want to keep going like that. I already did well before at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, so I can play on every surface.
Q. Chris Evert said she was impressed by your work ethic. What value did you get from spending time at her academy?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: It was a real lot. I spend there always four weeks, four and a half weeks, you know. Is always nice when she comes to see my practice or something like that. She's a very special person.
But I always put so much into the work, you know, because I need to be fit and I need to practice really a lot to play my best tennis. And as you could see, it pays off.
I really, really work hard I would say more than 100%.
Q. Many great players lose a Grand Slam final before they win one. How much do you think you learned from this two weeks?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I learn a lot. I learn, yeah, of course it will be great to win my first finals of Grand Slam, but I think it takes time, you know. It's not that easy.
Now I know that it's just another match, you know, in your life. That's how you have to take it.
When I played my first semifinals of a Grand Slam I just went on the court. I was 19 years old. I was just like happy I'm already there and I was not fighting for the finals. Now I know how is it to play the finals.
I'm not saying it was the same today, but I think you have to go through some things to learn, you know.
Q. Playing the fourth seed of the tournament, did you get an idea of what you need to do with your own game to get into the top 10?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: No, I wasn't really thinking about that like this. My game is for sure there. My game, it's good enough to be there. So that's what I'm need to be to play like this like more times in the year.
Q. Have you spoken to your parents yet?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Yeah. I didn't speak to my mom the whole two weeks and to my dad because we were superstitious. I won my first round and I didn't call them. I just text message.
We were text message the whole two weeks. Now I was on the bike so she called me. I was like, Oh, mom. I heard after two weeks. It was nice.
Q. What did she say?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: You know, she didn't see the match, of course. She's never watching. But she said she's really proud and she asked me how was the match (smiling).
Q. You're famous for your activities after the finals. In San Diego you slid into the water. In Palo Alto …
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: My dad almost got knocked down by security because he ran on the court.
Q. What are you going to do here?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: He's not here so nobody's jumping on the court.
I'm sure it's going to be a big celebration when I get back home with the people, and then I will have my private celebration.
Q. What's the best way to celebrate in Bratislava?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I will party some.
Q. Will you make sure your parents are here next year just in case?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: I don't know. My mom, she always wanted to come here, but then she said it's too far.
My dad's always saying it's too far. But we'll see.
Q. Why didn't your parents watch the match?
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA: Because my dad, he's too nervous to watch it. But he was awake, for sure. My mom, she always watch the match after when they show it again.
MTT: Singles W(18): Kuala Lumpur 09, Memphis 10, Eastbourne 10, World Tour Finals 10, Cincinnati 12, Auckland 14, Sydney 16, Quito 17, Buenos Aires 17, Halle 17, Umag 17, Auckland 18, Eastbourne 19, Geneva 22, Auckland 23, Washington 23, Paris 23, Miami 24 Singles F(15): Metz 09, Basel 09, Johannesburg 10, Stuttgart 10, Toronto 10, Valencia 10, San Jose 11, Buenos Aires 16, Miami 17, Tokyo 17, IO Tokyo 20, Tokyo 23, Montpellier 24, Buenos Aires 24, Monte Carlo 24 Doubles W (5): Roland Garros 11, US Open 11, Monte Carlo 23, Toronto 23, World Tour Finals 23
24-letnia Dominika Cibulkova osiągnęła pierwszy wielkoszlemowy finał w karierze. W decydującym meczu Australian Open 2014 lepsza od niej okazała się Chinka Li Na (7:6, 6:0).
Przez lata uważana za jedną z najniebezpieczniejszych tenisistek szerokiego zaplecza, Słowaczka Dominika Cibulkova, osiągając finał Australian Open 2014, udowodniła, że wkrótce może stać się jedną z nowych twarzy czołówki kobiecych rozgrywek. Obdarzona znakomitym returnem oraz potężnymi uderzeniami z głębi kortu Cibulkova, będąc w dobrej dyspozycji, potrafi zdominować na korcie niemal każdą przeciwniczkę. Choć Cibulkova znana jest głównie z gry agresywnej, jej waleczność i szybkość poruszania się pozwalają jej również być efektywną defensorką. Głównymi mankamentami tenisa Słowaczki są zaś brak regularności i, charakterystyczne dla jej ryzykownego stylu gry, duże ilości niewymuszonych błędów popełnianych podczas meczów.
Cibulkova to jedyna w historii słowacka tenisistka, mająca na koncie finał turnieju wielkoszlemowego. Ze względu na fizyczną atrakcyjność i pogodne usposobienie, jest ona jedną z popularniejszych tenisistek nienależących do ścisłej czołówki touru, bohaterką licznych sesji zdjęciowych.
Dominika kontynuuje świetną passę w tym roku, po finale wielkoszlemowego Australian Open przyszedł czas na czwarty tytuł w karierze - na kortach w Acapulco Słowaczka pokonała w finale Amerykanke McHale (7:6,4:6,6:4)
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA
