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2014 finalist Cibulkova eliminates Azarenka

Dominika Cibulkova celebrates after beating Victoria Azarenka. (Associated Press)
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Dominika Cibulkova celebrates after beating Victoria Azarenka. (Associated Press)

MELBOURNE, Australia – Dominika Cibulkova reproduced the kind of tennis that helped her reach the final last year as she beat two-time champion Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday.

Cibulkova pounded 44 winners and broke former No. 1-ranked Azarenka’s serve seven times to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the sixth time.

Azarenka, unseeded this year after injuries restricted her to just nine tournaments last season, won the Australian title in 2012 and ’13.

The No. 10-ranked Cibulkova will play Serena Williams, who avenged her heaviest Grand Slam defeat with a comeback 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Garbine Muguruza.

The top-ranked Williams was pushed all the way by No. 24-seeded Muguruza, who matched her in the heavy-hitting rallies, and who conceded only four games to her in the second round of the French Open last year.

Murray reaches quarters

Two-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray overcame a relentlessly athletic Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5 to secure a spot in the men’s quarterfinals.

In a 3-hour, 32-minute minute match filled with mind-bending shots from both players, Murray came back from 2-5 down in the fourth set to close out the match and reach his 16th straight Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Dimitrov, the 23-year-old Bulgarian who is seen as one of the future stars of men’s tennis, received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Murray now faces Australia’s teen star Nick Kyrgios in the quarterfinals. Kyrgios became Australia’s first man since 2005 to reach the last eight.

Murray, who was broken when serving for the second set and lost the tiebreaker, rallied from 5-2 down in the fourth set to beat Dimitrov, who shattered his racket on the court after surrendering his last service game.

Bryan brothers ousted

Mike and Bob Bryan lost in the third round of men’s doubles, the second straight year the twin brothers have failed to reach the quarterfinals.

The top-seeded Bryans lost to 14th-seeded Dominic Inglot of Britain and Florin Mergea of Romania 7-6 (4), 6-3.

The Bryans have captured six of their 16 career Grand Slam doubles titles at the Australian Open — their most successful major.