Melbourne - Feisty Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova scrapped like a streetfighter to grind down two-time champion Victoria Azarenka and reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Monday.
Cibulkova, beaten in last year's final by Li Na, weathered the inevitable comeback by the Belarusian blaster and ran her ragged in a match of the highest quality to earn the 6-2 3-6 6-3 win.
The pint-sized 25-year-old blasted 44 winners and broke Azarenka twice in the deciding set, sealing it when her opponent netted after two hours and 10 minutes.
Cibulkova will play the winner of Serena Williams and Garbine Muguruza for a place in the semi-finals.
Reuters