Keys cruises past Cibulkova into US Open quarterfinals

NEW YORK, NY, USA -- Last year’s US Open finalist Madison Keys

View Profile of the United States returned to the elite eight at the 2018 US Open, dispatching No.29 seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, 6-1, 6-3, in the fourth round on Labor Day.

"It's always nice to see a bunch of Americans doing well at the home slam," Keys said. "I'm just really happy to be a part of it. And to have back to back years is really special."

No.14 seed Keys had never dropped a set in her four prior meetings with former World No.4 Cibulkova, and she maintained that dominance over the Slovak by sweeping through the encounter in one hour and 15 minutes. 

"I honestly don't remember our previous matches as well, so I can't talk about those. Today I think I served really well. I think the biggest thing is just being able to, you know, kind of push her back off of the baseline where she likes to hold her ground and just be able to dictate points like that."

The American, who fell to compatriot and good friend Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open final, joined Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber as just one of two players on tour this season to reach the quarterfinals or better at three of the four Grand Slam events. Keys also reached the semifinals at Roland Garros and the quarterfinals at the Australian Open.

The high-octane game of Keys was clean as a whistle on Monday, with 25 winners well outpacing her 15 unforced errors, and an 83 percent point-winning success rate on her first serve. Cibulkova also amped up her power game in an attempt to claim her first win over the American, but fired only seven winners compared to 20 unforced errors.

Keys will now face either 2006 US Open champion Maria Sharapova of Russia, the No.22 seed, or 30th-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain in the quarterfinals. Sharapova and Suarez Navarro face off in an Arthur Ashe Stadium night match on Monday.

"They are pretty much polar opposites. One hits hard and flat and goes for her shots. The other one has a lot more spin and likes to work the point a lot more. They are both very different matchups. I'm going to let all of my coaches watch and decide!

"I'm going to go actually eat dinner in the city instead."

Keys started the match by holding in the first game with a backhand winner down the line, then found herself and Cibulkova embroiled in a 14-minute seesaw game which featured four game points for Cibulkova and five break points for Keys. The American eventually broke with a backhand crosscourt winner to lead 2-0.

That game would prove pivotal as Keys methodically powered through the rest of the opening set. The Slovak got on the board for 3-1 with a forehand winner down the line, but Keys reeled off the final three games, breaking for 5-1 after Cibulkova punched a backhand volley wide on break point, then holding in the next game with two aces and a backhand down-the-line winner on set point.

In the opening game of the second set, Cibulkova fended off two break points, but not a third, as Keys took the Slovak’s service. But Cibulkova finally broke the Keys serve as the suddenly error-prone American handed over her lead, letting Cibulkova level at 2-2.

But Keys struck once more with a flurry of winners at 3-3, overpowering Cibulkova in that game to reclaim her break advantage. Two games later, Keys reached match point, and although she lost the first by netting a return, she garnered a second after a Cibulkova drop shot attempt found the net. Keys converted that second chance by forcing a wide error from Cibulkova with a final powerful forehand.