DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Ekaterina Makarova advanced to the third round of the Dubai Tennis Championships by beating third-seeded Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 Tuesday.
The 37th-ranked Russian had lost her first three matches against Cibulkova, but Makarova eliminated the Slovak in the third round of last month's Australian Open.
"I never beat her before (Australia)," Makarova said. "So this match, when I was coming out and ... more believing that I can win, and I knew what to do, how to play, where to go."
Cibulkova took an early 2-0 lead in the third set, but Makarova won the last six games to take the match.
Also, Olympic champion Monica Puig beat 15th-seeded Caroline Garcia 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, eighth-seeded Elena Vesnina defeated Misaki Doi 6-2, 7-5, and 17-year-old American Cici Bellis eliminated Laura Siegemund 7-5, 7-6 (3).
