Vintage :: Topic review - Size doesn't matter for Dominika Cibulkova

hxbtfhd407

Cibulkova thumped Agnieszka Radwanska in the women's semifinals Thursday to move one match away from becoming the joint shortest grand slam singles winner in the Open Era.
The 5-foot-3-inch Cibulkova needed a mere one hour, 10 minutes to dispose of the world No. 5,[url=http://www.oksko.com/]Nike Norge[/url], winning 6-1 6-2 to set up an encounter Saturday against now three-time Australian Open finalist Li Na.
Li, the ouster of Canadian upstart Eugenie Bouchard 6-2 6-4, hasn't lost to Cibulkova in their four outings but the 20th seed will be buoyed by victories over former Wimbledon finalist Radwanska and four-time grand slam champion Maria Sharapova this fortnight.
Only a year ago on Australian soil in Sydney, Cibulkova didn't enjoy her time on court with Radwanska, handed a 6-0 6-0 double bagel defeat in the final of the Melbourne warmup event.
Cibulkova is an anomaly in the current generation of women's tennis. A sparse three women in the top 100 -- American Lauren Davis and Japanese duo Misaki Doi and Kurumi Nara -- are shorter than Cibulkova.
Last year, the women's grand slam winners were all 5' 6" or taller. Li is just under 5' 8".
And since the Open Era began in 1968, no player shorter than 5' 3" has claimed a major. Nancy Richey and Mima Jausovec, the same height as Cibulkova, claimed the 1968 French Open and 1977 French Open,[url=http://www.oksko.com/air-max-33]Billige Nike Air Max[/url], respectively.
"It's not about how tall you are," Cibulkova, 24, told reporters. "It's just you have to really believe in it. There is nothing more important than this."
According to seven-time tour winner Chanda Rubin, not a giant herself in tennis terms at 5' 6", Cibulkova limits weaknesses and generates ample power.
"Obviously it's more difficult at times,[url=http://www.oksko.com/nike-free-38]Nike Free Run[/url]," Rubin, who peaked at No. 6 in the world,[url=http://www.oksko.com/nike-shox-34]Nike Shox[/url], told CNN. "You have to cover a lot more ground. You have to be quicker. You can't take a big step and cover half the court. You have that challenge.
"But when you see a player get to this level and see what she's achieved,[url=http://www.oksko.com/nike-shox-34]Billige Nike Shox[/url], it's because she's able to minimize any deficiencies and has those special skills -- the speed, the ability to create a little extra power even if she's not as tall, the ability to compete.
Indeed, Cibulkova isn't the type to solely retrieve. Her power baseline game can leave opponents bamboozled.
Cibulkova owns a 3-3 record against the 6' 2" Sharapova, has downed world No. 2 Victoria Azarenka twice and tallied 11 of the first 14 games against the Belorussian in Miami in 2012 before nerves -- missing in Melbourne this year, judging by her sojourn -- intervened.
Cibulkova attacked Radwanska's second serve, winning 14 of 16 points.
Radwanska had beaten Azarenka on Wednesday to snap a seven-match losing streak against the two-time Australian Open champion,[url=http://www.oksko.com/nike-free-38]Billige Nike Free[/url].
"I feel like in slow motion today,[url=http://www.oksko.com/air-max-33]Nike Air Max[/url]," Radwanska told reporters.
Cibulkova said she wouldn't significantly alter her pre-match routine ahead of a maiden appearance in a grand slam final. The same could be said of her coach, Matej Liptak.
He declined to be interviewed because he hasn't spoken to reporters during the Australian Open and didn't want to jinx his charge.