(The result for this match has been included, and updated Changeover Staff Standings can be found at the bottom of this post)
WTA Premier Event – Sydney
Final: Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Dominika Cibulkova
Time: 3:30 AM ET – Friday, January 11th
Head to Head: 3-0, Radwanska
Radwanska won, 6-0, 6-0
Amy’s Pick: Tough one. Radwanska hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament, while Cibulkova has had a harder road to the final. But it’s probably most impressive that Cibulkova demolished both Kvitova and Errani, and beat Kerber in three sets. Maybe the time has come that Cibulkova will become more reliable about closing out big matches. I still have to go with Radwanska in straights.
Juan José’s Pick: I find it fascinating that these two haven’t played each other in almost five years. Cibulkova is in one of her blistering runs of form, but I still think that if Kerber hadn’t felt something tweak on her right hip yesterday, Ms. “Pome” wouldn’t even be here. Radwanska was very solid against Li Na yesterday, and she’s coming off a title run last week. The World Number 4 seems full of her very subtle kind of swagger, and she looks fresh. Radwanska is also a very good finals player (11 titles out of 15 finals), while Cibulkova, well, isn’t (2 titles out of 6 finals). I see everyone’s favorite Ninja taking this title in two swift sets.
Lindsay’s Pick: I have been hoping for someone to beat Aga all tournament so that she could get to Melbourne and start preparing for the Slam like a contender, but here she is in the final. So now I would like her to win because…why not? I picked Cibulkova to be a top 10er this year, and so I’m glad she’s off to a good start. I’ve always enjoyed watching her fight. But she only has a 2-4 record in finals. Aga has been solid for the last two weeks and I suspect she’ll do enough to make Domi miss. Aga in 3.
——————–
Standings:
Lindsay: 6-1 Matches with Correct Number of Sets Picked: 5
Amy: 6-1 Matches with Correct Number of Sets Picked: 4
Juan José: 5-2 Matches with Correct Number of Sets Picked: 3
Radwanska 3 and 4
Close!
Aggie-Aga is such a power killer I feel Dominica is going to be impatient and drown in a pool of unforced errors:) sigh cause I so badly want her to win this one…
but it’s Aggie I know!
Sorry about that, Aube – it ended up being even worse than what you thought. Very bad match-up, and the Ninja barely missed a ball. Cibulkova’s string of upsets took its toll, I think.
“I see everyone’s favorite Ninja taking this title in two swift sets.”
Juan Jose,
Was a double bagel swift enough?
Swifter than I thought! For some reason, after I had written my pick, I had this strong hunch that it would be 7-5, 6-2. Turns out, I was off by 7 games!
Just stunned Juan Jose,of all the devastating scenarios I portrayed in my mind, I never would have come up with this one,yes,I would have refused to frame this one:)
but hey, that’s what Aggie makes you do,she is a very smart player and if I were them power hitters including my Serebaby I’ll be very scared of her this year,she’s patient and smart and crafty…need I say more?
Serebaby are you listening???sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh:
and yes I’m also sending condolences to AB because Dominica is her Cibulkova,she’d know what I meant if she reads this:) but AB is probably surfing the nice beaches of HAWAI,right?better than reading about this if you ask me,keep on:)