Safina vs. Cibulkova: Watch French Open Semi-Finals Live Online
DINARA SAFINA
Ranked: No. 1
Previous Best Performance at Roland Garros: Finalist—2008
Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Date of Birth: April 27, 1986—Age 23
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Height: 5'11 1/2" (1.82 m)
Weight: 154 1/2 lbs. (70 kg)
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Turned professional: 2000
If form is anything to go by, the world No. 1 is on her way to her first Grand Slam title, which just might stop Serena Williams from claiming that the powerful Russian doesn’t deserve to be viewed as the game’s top female player.
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Safina arrived at the tournament as the in-form player after claiming the two big titles in Rome and Madrid, and she has just kept on rolling.
Admittedly, ninth seed Victoria Azarenka made Safina work hard for her quarter final victory but that was the first time she had been challenged in any way.
Four opponents, including Britain’s Anne Keothavong, tried and four were emphatically swept away as the top seed dropped just five games.
Impressive stuff indeed, and after suffering stage fright in her two previous Grand Slam finals—against Ana Ivanovic here in Paris a year ago and then Serena Williams at January’s Australian Open—it now appears her mind is set on grabbing that first major title.
DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA
Ranked No. 19
Previous Best Performance at Roland Garros: Third Round—2007, 2008
Residence: Bratislava, Slovakia
Date of Birth: May 6, 1989—Age 20
Birthplace: Bratislava, Slovakia
Height: 5'3" (1.61 m)
Weight: 121 lbs. (55 kg)
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Turned professional: 2004
Anyone who just humiliated Maria Sharapova is bound to be riding on a wave of self-confidence, and although this diminutive Slovakian will have to give away nine inches and over 30 pounds, she cannot be underestimated.
There were few signs before the French Open that this would be Cibulkova’s breakthrough tournament. She lost in the first round in Stuttgart, and didn’t even play Rome or Madrid because of an injured thigh.
However, after a hard-fought opener against the Ukraine’s Alono Bondarenko, she has hit an impressive groove on the Roland Garros clay. The last four victories have only cost her a total of 15 games and she has beaten some quality players along the way.
Cibulkova terms her play over the last 10 days as solid, and while admitting she understands exactly why she is construed as a surprise semi-finalist, she still has some more shocks in store.
Previous Meetings: Safina leads 2-0
July 2008—Montreal, Final (on hard court): Safina won 6-2,6-1.
October 2008—Tokyo, Second Round (on hard court): Safina won 6-3,6-4.
Semi-final Prediction: Safina in straight sets.
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