Dominika Cibulkova has said that she is taking inspiration from Marion Bartoli's triumph at Wimbledon last year ahead of the Australian Open final against Li Na.
The 24-year-old Slovakian will take on the world number four in Melbourne on Saturday
"Straight after my semi-final [Bartoli] came into the gym to see me," BBC Sport quotes her as saying. "She hugged me. We were both crying. She was so happy for me.
"She was a big inspiration when she won Wimbledon. We are very close friends, so I knew she was working so hard for it.
"She deserved it so much. When she won it, I knew everything is possible."
Cibulkova is the final Slovakian to reach the final of a Grand Slam.
Written by
Subhankar Mondal
Subhankar Mondal
