By Alberto Amalfi | Friday, September 30, 2016
Staring down a one-set deficit, Dominika Cibulkova got studious.
Cibulkova consulted her notes, then set about rewriting the semifinal script rallying for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova to roar into the Wuhan Open final.
Watch: Kvitova Conquers Cramps, Kerber
It was a double victory for Cibulkova: She reached her first final since defeating Karolina Pliskova to capture the Eastbourne title on grass in June and ensure she will return to the Top 10 when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday.
The 12th-ranked Slovak reached a career-high rank of No. 10 on March 31st, 2014.
"It feels great," Cibulkova said. "I'm really tired right now, but the feeling to be in the final is unbelievable, and that's why I love. It's just a great win for me today."
Cibulkova will face 2014 Wuhan champion Petra Kvitova in tomorrow's final.
The 14th-seeded Kvitova crushed Simona Halep, 6-1, 6-2, in a 67-minute semifinal thrashing to reach her first WTA final in 13 months.
Halep carried a 3-0 career record against Kvitova into today's second semifinal, but the two-time Wimbledon winner was sharp from the outset. Kvitova hit four aces, won 23 of 29 points played on her first serve and saved all three break points she faced beating Halep for the first time.
Prior to this week, Cibulkova was winless in two prior Wuhan appearances. She's exuded strength and stamina advancing to her 16th career final.
Cibulkova won two matches on Thursday—defeating US Open finalist Pliskova, 6-2, 6-2, then dispatching Pliskova's Czech Fed Cup doubles partner, Barbora Strycova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4—and conceded she was fighting fatigue at the outset of today's semifinal.
Pounding the Cibulkova second serve, Kuznetsova won 12 of 15 points played on the Slovak's second delivery and broke three times cruising through the first set.
Consulting her notes, Cibulkova got back to work breaking serve to start he second set. She reeled off four of the last five games sending the match into a decisive third set.
"I have my notes with me for a couple of years now and it's helping me, so it's nothing new for me," Cibulkova said. "But it's something that keeps me focused and helps me remember things to do. It's just a reminder for me. But it helped me today."
Deadlocked at 4-all in the decider, Cibulkova played dynamic tennis digging out of a 15-30 hole to hold. She earned three match points in the ensuing game driving a return to seal a spot in her fifth final of the season.
Facing the Russian No. 1 for the first time in five years, Cibulkova beat Kuznetsova for the fifth consecutive time, taking a 5-3 lead in their head-to-head series.
Cibulkova will face her third Czech opponent in her last four matches.
The 16th-ranked Kvitova has won four of their six career meetings, but Cibulkova has won their last two encounters, including a 6-3, 6-2 decision at the 2014 Indian Wells.
Kvitova, who knocked out world No. 1 Angelique Kerber in a gripping three hour, 20 epic on Wednesday, is playing for her first title since she won New Haven in August of 2015.