Wimbledon 2011 Results: Caroline Wozniacki Fails To Play Up To Ranking Again, Loses To Dominika Cibulkova

No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki suffered yet another disappointing result in a grand slam, this time falling to No. 24 Dominika Cibulkova 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 in the fourth round of Wimbledon 2011 on Monday.

On the back of her third round exit at the French Open, Wozniacki was upset in the fourth round of Wimbledon for the second consecutive year, though this match at least was far more competitive than the 6-2, 6-0 drubbing she was dealt by Petra Kvitova in 2010.

The Danish No. 1 looked fully in control early in the match, with Cibulkova spraying errors and only landing two errors in for the whole first set, which she lost 6-1 in twenty-four minutes.

But Cibulkova found her range in the second set, and was able to dictate almost every point against the passive Wozniacki, who never seemed comfortable going for any shot but her serve.

Cibulkova, who is generously listed at 5’3”, hardly seems tall enough to see over the net, but she consistently hit more winners than the 5’10” Wozniacki. Cibulkova ripped forehand after forehand for winners early in points, while Wozniacki routinely took at least five or six shots in a rally before she would take any risk whatsoever.

This loss will do little to silence Wozniacki’s critics, who criticize her lack of offense, her inability to win big matches at the grand slam tournaments where coaching is not allowed, and those who believe her spot as the WTA No. 1 is undeserved.

That last complaint isn’t likely to be assuaged any time soon. Not only will Wozniacki hang on to the top spot in the rankings after this tournament, the withdrawal of Kim Clijsters and early exit by Vera Zvonareva mean that her hold on it will actually grow.

Cibulkova next faces No. 5 Maria Sharapova, whom she has beaten both this year in Madrid and at the 2009 French Open. The two have never played one another on grass, a surface that should give Sharapova a decided advantage.