20th January, 2014
Injury-hit third seed Maria Sharapova was stunned at the Australian Open by Slovak Dominika Cibulkova on Monday, the second major upset in as many days.
The Russian, who took a medical timeout between the second and third sets, crashed in the fourth round 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 against the 20th seed to follow Serena Williams out of the tournament.
Cibulkova had never been beyond the fourth round in six previous attempts in Melbourne, although she has made the last eight at all the other three Grand Slams.
Sharapova revealed she had a problem with her hip, having just returned from a major shoulder injury this month, but said she was upbeat and happy just to be playing.
“I think it’s a success (the tournament) in terms of that I’m back and that I’m healthy. That’s quite important. Otherwise I wouldn’t give myself a chance to play,” she said.
“So I certainly would have loved to play a little bit more before playing a Grand Slam, but this is the chance that I was given.”
Her shock loss sets up a quarter-final between Cibulkova and Romanian 11th seed Simona Halep, who beat Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic in straight sets.
“I was 100 percent sure I could win. I never doubted myself even when I lost the first set,” said the Slovak. “I knew what I needed to do. The most important thing is to believe in yourself.”
She added that breaking her Melbourne Park jinx by making the last eight for the first time was also satisfying.
“This is what I’m really, really happy for, you know. Finally, finally I made it.”
Romanian Simona Halep also knocked out former world number one Jelena Jankovic to fulfil a dream and reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open Monday.
The five foot six inches (1.68m) Romanian won the first set before being taken to a decider, but she recovered magnificently in the third set to take the match 6-4, 2-6, 6-0.
“I started nervous but I played a good first set. The second set I was tired, I don’t know why but my energy was very down,” said the 22-year-old world number 11.
“In the third I said, ‘I have nothing to lose, just be aggressive’, so I did really well.”
Halep celebrated with a raised fist when she took the first set 6-4 as Jankovic, blinking first in a rally, netted a forehand.
“Before the season I said my dream is to play a quarter-final in a Grand Slam. So my dream is true and I’m really happy,” said Halep, who will play Dominika Cibulkova in the quarter-finals after the Slovak upset Maria Sharapova.
The result extends eighth seed Jankovic’s long search for a maiden Grand Slam success. The 28-year-old is yet to improve on her runs to three semi-finals in 2007 and 2008.
In another result, Victoria Azarenka, the defending champion, beat Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2, to reach the quarter finals.