Advertisement

Wimbledon: Serena Williams beats Dominika Cibulkova and advances to the fourth round

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Reporting from Wimbledon, England -- Top-seeded and defending champion Serena Williams shrugged unhappily when she finished off her third-round 6-0, 7-5 win over Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova on Saturday at Wimbledon. Williams had 20 aces and 37 winners to only nine unforced errors but Williams said she would need to play better next week.

‘Hopefully I can keep serving well,’ Williams said, ‘but I have to play better than I did today. I’m just glad to get into the second week.

Advertisement

Williams saved herself from getting into a dangerous second-set tiebreak by breaking Cibulkova’s serve in the final game. She earned a match point with a penetrating backhand return off a second serve and a followup forehand putaway. On match point Cibulkova sailed a nervous forehand wide. It was after that final point where Williams seemed to shrug unhappily.

This was the first meeting between Williams and Cibulkova and the first time this Wimbledon that Williams, 28, has played someone ranked inside the top 100 (Cibulkova is 46th). The 21-year-old Cibulkova was playing in only her third Wimbledon and she made it to the third round last year as well.

Up next for Williams in Monday’s fourth round may be former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova, who plays Barbora Zahlavova Strycova later this afternoon.

-- Diane Pucin

Advertisement