By Alberto Amalfi | Saturday, October 29, 2016
Overcome by joy, Dominika Cibulkova crashed to the court and stared straight up at the ceiling while her father Milan sobbed into a towel from his front-row seat.
The 27-year-old Slovak competed with high-energy and determined aggression and celebrated with pure emotion.
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In her WTA Finals debut, Cibulkova fought back from a set down defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, to advance to the Singapore final.
Sidelined for four months last season with a left Achilles injury, Cibulkova was flying high after a committed comeback today.
"This is my first time here and it's one of my dreams come true, just incredible," Cibulkova told Andrew Krasny afterward. "In the first set she blew me away, so I was able to change things up and won because I was more aggressive on the court."
It was Cibulkova's sixth straight win over Kuznetsova; she's won six of their nine meetings.
The eighth-ranked Slovak will play world No. 1 Angelique Kerber in tomorrow's title match.
The top-seeded Kerber crushed defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-2, 6-1, in the second semifinal.
A sharp Kuznetsova dictated play with her serve at the outset. Kuznetsova used her topspin and variety to unsettle the Slovak, breaking in the third game.
The last woman to qualify for the WTA Finals ravaged Cibulkova's second serve, breaking three times in the opening set. Kuznetsova scored her third straight break seizing a one-set lead after 32 minutes.
Kuznetsova won eight of the first 10 games and seemed to be in control.
Then Cibulkova began ripping fierce forehands with aggression to turn the match around. Cibulkova broke for a 3-2 second-set lead only to see her opponent break back.
Spreading the court with her inside-out forehand to set up the forehand down the line, the former Australian Open finalist jumped out to a 6-2 tie break lead the bolted a backhand winner forcing the final set.
A defiant Cibulkova fought off two break points digging out a hard-fought hold for 5-4. She scored her sixth break to end a two hour, 27-minute battle.
"I think Dominika was very aggressive," Kuznetsova said. "I didn't use my advantage. I didn't serve well enough at 4-2."
In her post-match press conference, Kuznetsova cited frustration over "a little bit unprofessional" action in an apparent reference to Cibulkova's vocal and emotional support team rather than to the Slovak herself.
The pair exchanged a brief handshake while Kuznetsova was packing up her racquet bag.
"I think overall I was frustrated for other things which I thought was a little bit unprofessional," Kuznetsova said. "But I think Dominika played good she was really aggressive. I was short in some shots. In the end, I think she was aggressive and I was not."
Cibulkova reached her seventh final of the season and will play for her eighth title and most prestigious championship of her career tomorrow.