Cibulkova defeats Hsieh despite points penalty

New York - Another Grand Slam, anther rules row for Dominika Cibulkova in a victory over Hsieh Su-Wei. 

The Slovakian blasted US Open officials after she was docked two points for returning late from a 10-minute heat break before the third set of her 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4 victory over the Taiwanese player. 

"She told me I was one minute late. I'm getting two points' penalty. You cannot be serious," Cibulkova said. 

She noted that unlike players on the massive Ashe and Armstrong stadium courts, those toiling on more distant courts must trek through the crowds to reach air conditioned sanctuary for the breaks. 

The 10 minute breaks are allotted in men's and women's matches that go beyond straight sets under the tournament's extreme heat policy that was in force Thursday for a third straight day. 

"It took me, I think, more than three minutes walking through the people, because there were so many fans and so many people," said Cibulkova, who played on court 17 - the fourth show court. 

She had no time for the cold shower or ice bath that other players have used to cool down. After changing her clothes and making her way back to the court to start the third set, Cibulkova was stunned to be told by the umpire "it's going to be Love-30". 

"I couldn't believe it," she said. "Is it my fault it takes so long to get from where you send me to go to change to the court? I think it's just not right." 

At Wimbledon, Cibulkova lambasted officials over a controversial line call in her 6-4, 6-1 fourth-round rout of Hsieh. 

Cibulkova called it "ridiculous" that the Hsieh successfully persuaded the umpire to replay a point that was initially called in the Slovakian's favour and would have given her three set points in the opening set. 

That dispute saw the match bogged down more than seven minutes, with a supervisor called to the court to weigh in. 

On Thursday, Cibulkova soldiered on to finish out what she called "one of the top three toughest matches in my career". 

"With the conditions and the way we played - I think the level of tennis we played was really high - it gives you a lot of confidence because you didn't give up," said Cibulkova, who booked a meeting with Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber for a fourth round berth.

US Open results on Thursday, the fourth day of the 2018 tournament at Flushing Meadows (x denotes seeded player):

Men

Second round

Marin Cilic (CRO x7) bt Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 6-2, 6-0, 6-0

Alex De Minaur (AUS) bt Frances Tiafoe (USA) 6-4, 6-0, 5-7, 6-2

Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Julien Benneteau (FRA) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

David Goffin (BEL x10) bt Robin Haase (NED) 6-2, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 6-2

Diego Schwartzman (ARG x13) bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 6-2, 6-0, 5-7, 6-2

Kei Nishikori (JPN x21) bt Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-2, 5-4 - retired

Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 6-2, 6-0

Alexander Zverev (GER x4) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2

Novak Djokovic (SRB x6) bt Tennys Sandgren (USA) 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-2

Richard Gasquet (FRA x26) bt Laslo Djere (SRB) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3

Lucas Pouille (FRA x17) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3

Joao Sousa (POR) bt Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x12) 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 2-0 - retired

John Millman (AUS) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x14) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) bt Chung Hyeon (KOR x23) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 6-3

Nick Kyrgios (AUS x30) bt Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 6-0

Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Benoit Paire (FRA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4

Women

Second round

Caroline Garcia (FRA x6) bt Monica Puig (PUR) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4

Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x30) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4

Maria Sharapova (RUS x22) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM) 6-2, 7-5

Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x10) bt Taylor Townsend (USA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4

Madison Keys (USA x14) bt Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-4, 6-1

Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) bt Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 6-1, 6-3

Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x29) bt Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4

Angelique Kerber (GER x4) bt Johanna Larsson (SWE) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4

Petra Kvitova (CZE x5) bt Wang Yafan (CHN) 7-5, 6-3

Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x26) bt Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 6-3, 7-6 (9/7)

Naomi Osaka (JPN x20) bt Julia Glushko (ISR) 6-2, 6-0

Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR) bt Darya Kasatkina (RUS x11) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)

Kiki Bertens (NED x13) bt Francesca Di Lorenzo (USA) 6-2, 6-1

Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) bt Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 6-4, 6-3

Katerina Siniakova (CZE) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4)

Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x2) 6-4, 6-2