_(48199419602).jpg) Cibulková at the2019 French Open | |
| Full name | Dominika Navara Cibulková[1] |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Slovakia |
| Residence | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Born | (1989-05-06)6 May 1989 (age 36) Bratislava, Czechoslovakia |
| Height | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Turned pro | 2004 |
| Retired | 2019 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Matej Lipták |
| Prize money | $13,725,520[2] |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 450–299 |
| Career titles | 8 |
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (20 March 2017) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | F (2014) |
| French Open | SF (2009) |
| Wimbledon | QF (2011,2016,2018) |
| US Open | QF (2010) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | W (2016) |
| Olympic Games | 3R (2008) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 55–81 |
| Career titles | 1 |
| Highest ranking | No. 59 (13 August 2012) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2016) |
| French Open | 2R (2010,2014) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2010) |
| US Open | QF (2008) |
| Team competitions | |
| Fed Cup | SF (2013), record 21–19 |
| Hopman Cup | W (2009) |
Dominika Cibulková[1] (Slovak pronunciation:[ˈdɔminikaˈtsibulkɔʋaː]; born 6 May 1989)[3][4] is a Slovak former professionaltennis player.[5] She is the2016 WTA Finals champion, becoming the fourth player (afterSerena Williams in2001,Maria Sharapova in2004 andPetra Kvitová in2011) to win the tournament on her debut. She won eightWTA Tour singles titles and two on theITF Circuit.
Cibulková reached the quarterfinals or better of all fourGrand Slam tournaments at least once. One of her most notable achievements was a final appearance at the2014 Australian Open. Although she lost toLi Na, she was the first female Slovak to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament.[6]
Cibulková was introduced to tennis at the age of eight inPiešťany. She was eleven when her family moved toBratislava. Her mother is the Slovak lawyer and politicianKatarína Cibulková.[5]
Her signature expression,"Pome," is the slang spelling of"Poďme", which translates to "Let's go" or "Come on" in English.[7][8] With the help of her friendMarion Bartoli, she began a clothing line featuring this statement in 2014.[8]
On 9 July 2016, Cibulková married her fiancé Michal Navara.[9] In December 2019, not long after announcing her retirement, she announced that she was expecting her first child, who was born in June 2020.[10] In September 2022, she announced her second pregnancy.[11]
Early in her career, Cibulková predominantly competed on theITF Women's Circuit, and managed to win two tournaments: the Amarante event in Portugal in 2005, and the Bratislava event in 2006.[5]
She started the season with a win overTara Iyer in the first round of theBangalore Open, but lost to No. 4 seedJelena Kostanić Tošić in the second round.
At theFrench Open, Cibulková qualified and made her Grand Slam main-draw debut, reaching the third round. In the second, she upsetMartina Müller after beatingSun Tiantian but eventually lost toSvetlana Kuznetsova. She also reached the third round in Amelia Island, beatingAnabel Medina Garrigues but losing to fellow SlovakDaniela Hantuchová, and the quarterfinals of theECM Prague Open, beatingGisela Dulko before falling toVictoria Azarenka.
Her best finish of the year came in September, when she exited at the semifinal stage at theGuangzhou International Open in China where she lost to eventual championVirginie Razzano.[12]
At the Australian Open, Cibulková lost in the first round toFlavia Pennetta. Playing forSlovakia in the first round ofFed Cup against theCzech Republic in Brno, she split her two singles matches as her country lost the tie 2–3.[13]
At theQatar Ladies Open, Cibulková reached her first-ever Tier-I quarterfinal, defeating former world No. 1,Venus Williams, in the third round, before losing toAgnieszka Radwańska in the quarterfinals. In April, Cibulková reached the final of a WTA Tour event for the first time. At the Tier-II clay-courtAmelia Island Championships, she lost the final toMaria Sharapova. Cibulková was seeded 30th in singles atWimbledon but lost in the first round to unseeded wildcard player and eventual semifinalist,Zheng Jie of China. She reached the third round of the women's singles at the2008 Olympics.[14] At theRogers Cup in Montreal, Cibulková defeated second-seededJelena Janković in the quarterfinals and Marion Bartoli in the semifinals, but lost the final to seventh-seededDinara Safina.[13]
At theAustralian Open, Cibulková advanced to the fourth round and lost toElena Dementieva. She began the clay-court season at the MPS Group Championships and Family Circle Cup, losing toElena Vesnina and Elena Dementieva respectively.[15]
At theFrench Open, she was seeded 20th and defeatedAlona Bondarenko,Kirsten Flipkens,Gisela Dulko, andÁgnes Szávay to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. She then defeated Maria Sharapova in straight sets, but lost to Dinara Safina in the semifinal. In this successful phase of her career, she worked with tennis coachVladimír Pláteník and fitness coachMaroš Molnár from Slovakia. Seeded 14th at Wimbledon, she beatJulie Coin andUrszula Radwańska, but lost to Elena Vesnina in the third round. She then competed at theSwedish Open where she lost to Gisela Dulko in the quarterfinals. She withdrew from the US Open and several of the following hard-court tournaments due to a rib injury.[15]
Cibulková started 2010 by reaching the quarterfinals of theAuckland Open where she lost to top seed Flavia Pennetta. At the Australian Open, where she was seeded 23rd, Cibulková was upset byVania King in the first round.[16]
At theMonterrey Open, she was the fourth seed. Cibulková came from a set down to beat No. 5 seed Ágnes Szávay in the quarterfinals. She fell to No. 2 seed, Daniela Hantuchová, in three sets. At theIndian Wells Open she was upset bySara Errani in the second round, after receiving a bye.
She then played at theRosmalen Open, losing her quarterfinal match to Kirsten Flipkens. At Wimbledon, where she upsetLucie Šafářová andAyumi Morita, she lost in the third round to world No. 1, Serena Williams. At theUS Open, Cibulková advanced to her second career major quarterfinal, after defeatingStefanie Vögele, 2009 quarterfinalistKateryna Bondarenko,Lourdes Domínguez Lino, and 11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. She lost to the top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.[16]
Cibulková began the year at theBrisbane International where she reached quarterfinals defeating Sara Errani andRoberta Vinci. She lost her quarterfinal match to eventual championPetra Kvitová, 0–6, 4–6.[17] She then entered theSydney International and defeatedMaria Kirilenko in the first round, in two sets.[18] In the second, she beat world No. 1,Caroline Wozniacki, in straight sets[19][20] before she was defeated byAlisa Kleybanova in the quarterfinals.[21] Seeded 29th at theAustralian Open, Cibulková won her first two rounds againstAngelique Kerber andAlberta Brianti. In the third round, she lost to top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, in straight sets.[22]
In theFed Cup tie versus the Czech Republic, Cibulková played one rubber in which she was upset by Petra Kvitová.[23] The Czech Republic ended up defeating Slovakia 3–2.[24] Seeded eighth at theOpen GdF Suez, Cibulková advanced to the quarterfinals beating qualifierAna Vrljić andMelanie Oudin losing there to third seedKaia Kanepi.[25] AtDubai, Cibulková lost in the first round toJarmila Groth.[26] At theQatar Open, she was defeated in the second round by second seed and eventual champion,Vera Zvonareva 6–1, 6–2.[27] Seeded 25th at theIndian Wells Open, Cibulková got a first-round bye. She won her second- and third-round matches over wildcardSania Mirza and third seed Vera Zvonareva but lost in round four to 23rd seedYanina Wickmayer.[28] Seeded 25th at theMiami Open, Cibulková again got a first-round bye. She was defeated in the third round by eighth seed and eventual champion Victoria Azarenka.[29]
In theWorld Group play-offs tie against Serbia, she won her first rubber againstBojana Jovanovski in three sets. She facedAna Ivanovic in her final rubber and won the first set 6–4; it was tied 3–3 in the second set when Ivanovic retired due to an abdominal muscle problem. Her two wins were not enough as Serbia defeated Slovakia 3–2.[30]
Cibulková began her clay-court season at thePorsche Tennis Grand Prix where she lost in the first round to German wildcardSabine Lisicki in two narrow sets.[31]
At Wimbledon, Cibulková repeated the upset from Sydney by beating Wozniacki in three sets, losing in the quarterfinals to Maria Sharapova.
She won her first tour title at the Kremlin Cup, edging Kaia Kanepi in three sets. Her win represents the first time a player has captured their maiden title at the Kremlin Cup.[32]
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Seeded 17th in theAustralian Open, Cibulková lost her second-round match toGréta Arn. At theMiami Open, she came close to beating then-world No. 1, Victoria Azarenka, leading her by a set and 5–2 before Azarenka prevailed. Cibulková then reached the finals of the Barcelona Open, losing to Sara Errani. At theFrench Open, she avenged her Miami loss to Azarenka, beating the world No. 1 in straight sets in the fourth round. She subsequently reached the quarterfinals for the second time, but lost toSamantha Stosur.[33]
Her only Wimbledon warm up tournament was theRosmalen Championships. She reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual championNadia Petrova. She lost in the first round atWimbledon toKlára Zakopalová. At the2012 Summer Olympics, she competed in the women's singles and the women's doubles with Daniela Hantuchova, but lost in the first round of each.[14]
She defeated Marion Bartoli in straight sets to win theCarlsbad Open in California, picking up the second title of her career. She reached the third round of theUS Open, losing to Roberta Vinci.[33]
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Cibulková began her 2013 season at theBrisbane International. She lost in the first round toSloane Stephens.[34] After Brisbane, Cibulková competed at theSydney International. She reached the final after wins over fifth seed Petra Kvitová, Ekaterina Makarova, third seed Sara Errani, and second seed Angelique Kerber. In the championship match, she was defeated by top seed Agnieszka Radwańska; she failed to win a single game during the match.[35] Seeded 15th at theAustralian Open, Cibulková lost in the second round to qualifierValeria Savinykh.[36]
Seeded fourth at theParis Indoors, Cibulková was defeated in the second round by lucky loserKiki Bertens.[37] During theFed Cup tie versus Serbia, Cibulková retired from her match against Vesna Dolonc due to a calf injury.[38] Slovakia was still able to win the tie 3–2.[39] At theDubai Championships, Cibulková lost in the first round to Nadia Petrova.[40] Seeded twelfth at theIndian Wells Open, Cibulková was defeated in the third round by 19th seed Klára Zakopalová.[41] Seeded 13th at theMiami Open, Cibulková advanced to the fourth round where she lost to top seed and eventual champion, Serena Williams.[42] Playing in the semifinalFed Cup tie versus Russia, Cibulková won her first match over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova but lost her second match to Maria Kirilenko. Russia defeated Slovakia 3–2 to advance to the Fed Cup Final.[43]
Cibulková started her clay-court season at thePortugal Open. Seeded second, she was defeated in the first round by Urszula Radwańska.[44] Seeded 15th at theMadrid Open, Cibulková lost in the second round to Sabine Lisicki.[45] Seeded 14th at theItalian Open, Cibulková was defeated in the third round by top seed and eventual champion, Serena Williams.[46] Seeded third at theBrussels Open, Cibulková lost in the first round to eventual champion Kaia Kanepi.[47] Seeded 16th at theFrench Open, Cibulková was defeated in the second round by Marina Erakovic.[48]
Beginning her grass-court season as the second seed at theRosmalen Championships, Cibulková reached the quarterfinal where she lost to qualifierGarbiñe Muguruza.[49] Seeded 18th atWimbledon, Cibulková was defeated in the third round by 11th seed Roberta Vinci.[50]
Cibulková kicked off herUS Open Series atStanford. Seeded third, she won her third WTA Tour singles title beating top seed Agnieszka Radwańska in the final.[51] Despite being the defending champion at theSouthern California Open, Cibulková lost in the first round to seventh seed Ana Ivanovic.[52] At theCanadian Open, Cibulková made it to the quarterfinal where she was defeated by fourth seed Li Na.[53] In Ohio at theCincinnati Open, Cibulková fell in the first round to qualifier Polona Hercog.[54] Seeded eighth at theNew Haven Open at Yale, Cibulková lost in the first round to Klára Zakopalová.[55] Seeded 17th at theUS Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round byElina Svitolina.[56]
Seeded sixteenth in Tokyo at thePan Pacific Open, Cibulková lost in the third round to second seed Agnieszka Radwańska.[57] At theChina Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round byMadison Keys.[58] Seeded seventh at theGenerali Ladies Linz, Cibulková lost in her quarterfinal match to third seed, two-time champion, and eventual finalist, Ana Ivanovic.[59] Cibulková played her final tournament of the season at theKremlin Cup. Seeded ninth, she was defeated in the first round by qualifier Vesna Dolonc.[60]
Cibulková ended the year ranked 23.
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Cibulková began the season at the Brisbane International, where she dropped a quarterfinal match to Serena Williams.[61] At theAustralian Open, she won her first three matches in straight sets, setting up her first hardcourt meeting with Maria Sharapova, whom she defeated in three sets. She then defeatedSimona Halep to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal since the 2009 French Open.[62] Following her semifinal upset over Radwańska, Cibulková was featured on the January 24 cover ofThe Washington Post.[63] She faced Li Na in her first major final, losing the first set in a tie-break and the second set without winning a game.[61]
In February, she played for Slovakia in aFed Cup match against Germany. She lost both her matches, against Andrea Petkovic and Angelique Kerber. Slovakia was eliminated from the competition.[64]
Cibulková won theMexican Open in Acapulco with a victory overChristina McHale.[61] She reached the quarterfinals of theIndian Wells Open, losing to Li Na. At theMiami Open, she defeated Agnieszka Radwańska in a three-set quarterfinal. With this victory, Cibulková entered theWTA top 10 for the first time in her career. She exited the tournament in the semifinals, losing to Li Na in three sets. She then reached the final of theMalaysian Open, which she lost toDonna Vekić. After that final, Cibulková's struggled with form were noticeable, as she won just nine matches and lost fifteen till the end of season. At Grand Slam tournaments, she reached the third round of theFrench Open andWimbledon.[61] She exited in the first round of theUS Open, losing toCiCi Bellis in three sets.
Seeded fourth at theBrisbane International, Cibulková lost in the first round to Madison Keys.[65] Seeded seventh atSydney, she was defeated in the second round by Jarmila Gajdošová. Seeded 11th at theAustralian Open, Cibulková reached the quarterfinals by beating Kirsten Flipkens, Tsvetana Pironkova, Alizé Cornet, and Victoria Azarenka. In her quarterfinal match, she lost to top seed and eventual champion Serena Williams.[66]
Seeded sixth atAntwerpen, she reached the quarterfinals where she was defeated by eventual champion Andrea Petkovic.[67] During that match, she struggled with a left Achilles tendon injury. Cibulková underwent surgery for her left Achilles tendon in February and missed the North American hardcourt and all of the clay-court season.[68]
Cibulková returned for the grass-court season at theEastbourne International. She lost in the third round to Tsvetana Pironkova.[69] At theWimbledon Championships, she fell in the first round to Daniela Hantuchová.
At theİstanbul Cup, Cibulková lost in the first round to fifth seed Camila Giorgi.[70] Seeded third at theBaku Cup, she was defeated in the first round by eventual championMargarita Gasparyan.[71]
At theCanadian Open, she lost in the second round to Alizé Cornet.[72] In Cincinnati at theWestern & Southern Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round by Flavia Pennetta.[73] At theConnecticut Open, she lost in her quarterfinal match to fourth seed and eventual finalist, Lucie Šafářová.[74] In New York at theUS Open, Cibulková stunned seventh seed and former world No. 1, Ana Ivanovic, in the first round.[75] She was defeated in the third round by 25th seedEugenie Bouchard.[76]
In Tokyo at thePan Pacific Open, Cibulková reached the semifinal where she lost to seventh seed and eventual champion, Agnieszka Radwańska.[77] At theWuhan Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round byMadison Brengle.[78] Playing in Beijing at theChina Open, Cibulková lost in the second round to tenth seed Angelique Kerber.[79] Cibulková competed in her final tournament of the season at theKremlin Cup. She was defeated in the second round by fifth seed Carla Suárez Navarro.[80]
Cibulková ended the year ranked 38.
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Cibulková started her 2016 year at theBrisbane International. In the first round, she beat Yanina Wickmayer in three sets followed by a second-round loss to eight seed Roberta Vinci in straight sets. Next, she played at theHobart International where she was the third seed. She reached the semifinals by beatingJohanna Konta, Australian wildcardKimberly Birrell and qualifierKiki Bertens. In the semifinals, Cibulková lost to Eugenie Bouchard in a three-set match. At theAustralian Open, she lost in the first round to 28th seed Kristina Mladenovic in two sets, thus failing to defend her quarterfinal points from 2015.[81]
In February, she played one match for Slovakia in theFed Cup tie against Australia. She won her match against Kimberly Birrell, but Slovakia lost to Australia 2–3.
Cibulková reached the final inAcapulco, where she lost to the second seedSloane Stephens.[81] InIndian Wells, she lost to Agnieszka Radwańska in the second round, despite leading 5–3 and having a match point in the third set.She won theKatowice Open by defeating Camila Giorgi in the final. This was her first WTA title of the season. She then reached the final of theMadrid Open, but was runner-up to Simona Halep.
At the rain-drenchedFrench Open that year, in muddy and heavy conditions, she reached the third round before falling to Carla Suarez Navarro. Cibulková won her first grass-court title at theEastbourne International, defeatingKarolína Plíšková in the final. She then reached the quarterfinals of theWimbledon Championships where she was defeated by Elena Vesnina.
Following early exits in the US Open and the Pan Pacific Open, she reached the final inWuhan, opposite Petra Kvitová, but finished as runner-up. Nevertheless, this strong performance in the tournament, including having to play two matches on the same day at one point, saw her reach a career high of No. 8 in the rankings.[81]
Cibulková won theLadies Linz with a straight-sets victory overViktorija Golubic, earning her third WTA Tour title of the year and seventh overall. It also ensured that she qualified for theWTA Finals in Singapore for the first time in her career. After dropping a three-set match to Angelique Kerber, and a second match to Madison Keys, Cibulková defeated Simona Halep in straight sets to advance to the semifinals. She then defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova in three sets, advancing to the championship round. She beat world No. 1, Angelique Kerber, in straight sets to claim the WTA Finals title in her first appearance at the tournament.[81] She ended the year with four titles and a career-high ranking of world No. 5.[82]
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Cibulková started her 2017 season at theBrisbane International. Seeded second, she lost in her quarterfinal match to eventual finalist Alizé Cornet.[83] Seeded third at theSydney International, Cibulková was defeated in the second round by Eugenie Bouchard.[84] Seeded sixth at theAustralian Open, Cibulková lost in the third round to 30th seed Ekaterina Makarova.[85]
Seeded second at theSt. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, Cibulková reached the semifinal where she was defeated byYulia Putintseva.[86] Seeded third at theQatar Open, Cibulková lost in her semifinal match to second seed and eventual champion Karolína Plíšková.[87] Seeded third in Dubai at theDubai Championships, Cibulková was defeated in the second round by Ekaterina Makarova.[88] Seeded fifth at theIndian Wells Open, Cibulková advanced to the fourth round where she lost to nineteenth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.[89] Nevertheless, this result saw her rise to a new career-high of No. 4 in the WTA rankings.[90] Seeded fourth at theMiami Open, Cibulková reached the fourth round where she was defeated by Lucie Šafářová.[91]
Cibulková was due to play in Stuttgart at thePorsche Grand Prix but withdrew at the last minute due to a wrist injury she sustained in practice.[92] Seeded fourth and last year finalist at theMadrid Open, Cibulková defeated Jelena Janković in the first round[93] but lost in the second round to qualifierOcéane Dodin.[94] Seeded fourth in Rome at theItalian Open, Cibulková was defeated in the second round by Ekaterina Makarova.[95] This was Cibulková's third loss to Makarova this season. Seeded sixth at theFrench Open, Cibulková suffered a second-round upset at the hands of lucky loserOns Jabeur.[96]
As the top seed at theRicoh Open, her first grass-court tournament of the season, Cibulková suffered a shocking first-round upset at the hands of German qualifierAntonia Lottner.[97] However, she managed to win the doubles title alongside Kirsten Flipkens. This was her first WTA title in doubles, although this was already her third doubles final at this tournament.[98] Seeded third at theBirmingham Classic, Cibulková lost in the first round to Lucie Šafářová.[99] Seeded fourth and the defending champion at theEastbourne International, Cibulková was defeated in the second round by British wildcard Heather Watson.[100] Seeded eighth at theWimbledon Championships, Cibulková beat Andrea Petkovic in a two-hour-and-43-minute-long first round match.[101] She then defeatedJennifer Brady in the second round; she lost in her third-round match to 27th seed Ana Konjuh.[102]
Seeded 11th at theRogers Cup, Cibulková was defeated in the second round by Lucie Šafářová.[103] Seeded 11th in Ohio at theWestern & Southern Open, Cibulková lost in the third round to seventh seed Johanna Konta.[104] Seeded second at theConnecticut Open, Cibulková advanced to her first final of the year where she was defeated by Daria Gavrilova.[105] Seeded eleventh at the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, theUS Open, Cibulková lost in the second round to eventual champion Sloane Stephens.[106]
Seeded fifth in Tokyo at thePan Pacific Open, Cibulková retired during the third set of her quarterfinal match against third seed and defending champion Caroline Wozniacki due to a right thigh injury.[107] Cibulková returned from injury at theWuhan Open. Seeded seventh, she was defeated in the third round by eventual champion Caroline Garcia.[108] Seeded eighth at theChina Open, Cibulková lost in the first round to Elise Mertens.[109] Cibulková withdrew from theUpper Austria Ladies Linz, the tournament she won last year, due to injury.[110] She also missed theKremlin Cup.
Cibulková ended the year ranked 26.
Cibulková started her 2018 season at theSydney International. She reached the quarterfinal where she lost to eventual champion Angelique Kerber.[111] Seeded 24th at theAustralian Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round by Kaia Kanepi.[112]
At theSt. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, Cibulková lost in the second round to fourth seed, defending champion, and eventual finalist Kristina Mladenovic.[113] At theQatar Open, Cibulková defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round before losing to seventh seed Caroline Garcia in the second round.[114] As the top seed at theHungarian Ladies Open, Cibulková reached the final where she was defeated by Alison Van Uytvanck.[115] Seeded 30th at theIndian Wells Open, Cibulková suffered a second-round upset at the hands of American wildcardCaroline Dolehide.[116] Cibulková withdrew from theMiami Open due to illness.[117]
Seeded second at theMorocco Open, Cibulková lost in the first round to Polona Hercog.[118] At theMadrid Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round by seventh seed Caroline Garcia.[119] In Rome at theItalian Open, Cibulková lost in the second round to three-time champion Maria Sharapova.[120] Seeded fifth at theInternationaux de Strasbourg, Cibulková reached the final where she was defeated by third seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.[121] This championship match lasted for three hours and thirty-five minutes; she had two match points but failed to convert.[122] At theFrench Open, Cibulková lost in the first round to 11th seed Julia Görges.[123]
Cibulková began her grass-court season at theBirmingham Classic. She was defeated in the first round by Daria Gavrilova.[124] In Eastbourne at theEastbourne International, Cibulková lost in the second round to fourth seed Angelique Kerber.[125] At theWimbledon Championships, Cibulková reached the quarterfinal after wins over Alizé Cornet, twenty-second seed Johanna Konta, fifteenth seed Elise Mertens, and Hsieh Su-wei. She was defeated in her quarterfinal match by 12th seed Jeļena Ostapenko.[126]
Cibulková withdrew from theCanadian Open and theWestern & Southern Open due to illness.[127][128] Cibulková returned to action at theConnecticut Open where she had reached the final the year before. She lost in the first round to fifth seed Julia Görges.[129]
In December she opened her own tennis academy, Love4Tennis, in Bratislava and took part in a film about Li Na, to whom she lost in the final of the Australian Open in 2014.[130]
Cibulková started her 2019 season inSydney with a first-round loss to Samantha Stosur.[131] Seeded 26th at theAustralian Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round by Zhang Shuai.[132]
At theDubai Championships, Cibulková defeated qualifier Lara Arruabarrena in the first round, before falling in the second round to fourth seed Karolína Plíšková.[133] Seeded thirty-second at theIndian Wells Open, Cibulková received a first-round bye; she lost in the second round to eventual championBianca Andreescu.[134] At theMiami Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round by Victoria Azarenka.[135] During theFed Cup tie versus Brazil, Cibulková won both of her rubbers beatingCarolina Alves andBeatriz Haddad Maia. Slovakia won the tie 3–1.
Beginning her clay-court season at thePorsche Tennis Grand Prix, Cibulková lost in the first round to qualifierGreet Minnen.[136] In Madrid at theMadrid Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round byNaomi Osaka.[137] At theItalian Open, Cibulková lost in the second round to top seed Naomi Osaka.[138] In Paris at theFrench Open, Cibulková was defeated in the first round by 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka.[139]
She did not play another singles match, and by the end of the season, she had sunk to No. 315 on the WTA rankings. Cibulková retired from professional tennis at the end of the season.[140] Coincidentally, her final match of the year was at the French Open in doubles, partnered with Lucie Šafářová. The pair lost in the first round toSofia Kenin/Andrea Petkovic and Šafářová retired after this tournament, meaning that both retired players' last match was with each other.
In 2014, Steve Tignor ofTennis.com called Cibulková "a threat to everyone".[141] In describing her style, he later suggested that "any player, from top pros to rank amateurs, can learn a thing or two from how Cibulková approaches the game," citing aggression, enthusiasm, and a quick pace between points.[142]
Self-described as a player with "a lot of energy",[5] Cibulková employed an aggressive style that was largely founded on speed and power.[143] She was known for her remarkable racquet-head speed,[141] which enabled her to produce deep groundstrokes with her forehand and powerful shots with her backhand. She was also known for approaching the net and finishing points with swing volleys.[141][144] Her aggressive shots have been noted for their ability to force errors or produce winners during extended rallies.[145]
When a point ended, Cibulková "refocused right away," using the pace to pressure opponents or avoid negativity.[142] She typically employed a high ball toss and a hard serve.[142]
On defense, she often attacked second serves with quick forehands, and hit prompt returns while taking the ball on the rise. Occasionally, she did break a prolonged rally by mixing in a drop shot. Her lower-body strength created quickness around the court, enabling her to reach and return shots.[141][143]
In January 2021, Dominika Cibulková and her husband were vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Kramáre University Hospital despite not being part of any prioritized groups such as healthcare workers or critical infrastructure staff. They were reportedly added to the vaccination list without proper authorization. The hospital acknowledged the breach, stating the employee responsible would be barred from administering vaccinations moving forward. Prime Minister Igor Matovič called the incident a regrettable failure. Cibulková later apologized, citing misunderstanding and insisting she would not have accepted the vaccine had she known she was skipping the line.[146]
Cibulková faced criticism for posting photos from a luxury resort on the Maldives without disclosing that the content was a paid collaboration, which falls under hidden advertising—prohibited under Slovak law. In a television interview, she admitted having an agreement with the hotel but acknowledged that she did not properly label the posts as sponsored.[147]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 2014 | Australian Open | Hard |  Li Na | 6–7(3–7), 0–6 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 2016 | WTA Finals, Singapore | Hard (i) |  Angelique Kerber | 6–3, 6–4 |
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | SR | W–L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | Q1 | 1R | 4R | 1R | 3R | 2R | 2R | F | QF | 1R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 12 | 19–12 |
| French Open | 3R | 3R | SF | 3R | 1R | QF | 2R | 3R | A | 3R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 12 | 21–12 |
| Wimbledon | Q1 | 1R | 3R | 3R | QF | 1R | 3R | 3R | 1R | QF | 3R | QF | A | 0 / 11 | 22–11 |
| US Open | 2R | 3R | A | QF | 2R | 3R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 2R | 4R | A | 0 / 11 | 18–11 |
| Win–loss | 3–2 | 4–4 | 10–3 | 8–4 | 7–4 | 7–4 | 4–4 | 10–4 | 6–3 | 8–4 | 6–4 | 7–4 | 0–2 | 0 / 46 | 80–46 |
| Time span | Selected records | Players matched |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–present | WonWTA Finals on debut (since inception of current round-robin format) | Serena Williams Maria Sharapova Petra Kvitová Ashleigh Barty |
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | WTA Comeback Player of the Year 2016 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
