SLOVAKIAN DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA caused a massive boilover on Sunday by knocking world number one Victoria Azarenka out of the French Open.
Cibulkova, who fell just short of beating Azarenka in Miami earlier this year, got her sweet revenge as she triumphed 6-2 7-6 (7-4) in one hour 47 minutes in their fourth-round match at Roland Garros.
As in Miami, the 15th seed led by a set and a break but – just as she did in their previous encounter this season – Azarenka broke back to send the second set to a tie-breaker.
But the similarities ended there, as Cibulkova clinched the match with a cross-court backhand winner before crumbling to the red clay in ecstasy.
Cibulkova will take on either American Sloane Stephens or Australia’s Samantha Stosur, the 2010 runner-up at Roland Garros and reigning US Open champion, in the quarter-finals.
Earlier, Italian 21st seed Sara Errani booked her spot in the last eight with a straight-sets win over Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova. Kuznetsova – the 26th seed – thrashed third seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the previous round, but Errani got off to a quick start before overcoming a deficit in the second set to win 6-0 7-5.
Errani, who has won titles in Acapulco, Barcelona and Budapest this season, will now meet Germany’s Angelique Kerber, after the 10th seed defeated Croatian Petra Martic 6-3 7-5.
