Daniela Hantuchová facts for kids

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Daniela Hantuchová
Singles
Hantuchová at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships
Country (sports)	Slovakia
Residence	Monte Carlo, Monaco
Born	(1983-04-23) 23 April 1983 (age 42) Poprad, Czechoslovakia
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro	1999
Retired	6 July 2017
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	$10,436,407 45th in all-time rankings
Career record	570–415 (57.87%)
Career titles	7
Highest ranking	No. 5 (27 January 2003)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	SF (2008)
French Open	4R (2002, 2006, 2010, 2011)
Wimbledon	QF (2002)
US Open	QF (2002, 2013)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	RR (2002, 2007)
Olympic Games	3R (2012)
Doubles
Career record	288–234 (55.17%)
Career titles	9
Highest ranking	No. 5 (26 August 2002)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	F (2002, 2009)
French Open	F (2006)
Wimbledon	QF (2005)
US Open	SF (2011)
Mixed doubles
Career record	40–14 (74%)
Career titles	4
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	W (2002)
French Open	W (2005)
Wimbledon	W (2001)
US Open	W (2005)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (2002) Record 36–19
Hopman Cup	W (2005)

Daniela Hantuchová (born April 23, 1983) is a former professional tennis player from Slovakia. She is now a tennis commentator. Daniela became a professional player in 1999. Her big breakthrough came in 2002 when she won her first major title at the Indian Wells Open. She beat Martina Hingis in the final. That year, she also reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open. She finished 2002 as a top ten player.

Daniela was also a key part of the Slovak team that won the 2002 Fed Cup and the 2005 Hopman Cup. She reached her highest singles ranking of world No. 5 in January 2003. This happened after she played in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. She won seven tournaments on the WTA Tour, including the Indian Wells Open again in 2007. Her last victory was at the 2015 Thailand Open.

Her best result in a major tournament was reaching the semifinals of the 2008 Australian Open. Daniela also had big wins against famous players. She beat defending champion Serena Williams at the 2006 Australian Open. She also defeated world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki at the 2011 French Open. In 2013, Daniela became the 37th woman in the Open Era to win 500 career matches. This happened when she beat Laura Robson at the 2013 Birmingham Classic.

Daniela was also a very good doubles player. She reached a career-high doubles ranking of world No. 5. In 2005, she achieved a special feat called the career Grand Slam in mixed doubles. This means she won all four major mixed doubles titles. She was only the fifth female tennis player to do this. She won mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon (2001), the Australian Open (2002), the French Open (2005), and the US Open (2005).

Daniela Hantuchová announced her retirement from professional tennis on July 6, 2017. Since then, she has worked as a tennis commentator and expert. She has covered big tournaments like the US Open and Wimbledon. She also hosts a podcast about sports and entertainment.

About Daniela's Life

Daniela Hantuchová was born in Poprad, which was then part of Czechoslovakia and is now Slovakia. Her father, Igor, was a computer scientist, and her mother, Marianna, was a toxicologist. Her grandmother, Helena, who was a former Slovak national tennis champion, first introduced Daniela to tennis.

In 2003, Daniela faced some personal challenges when her parents separated. This made her tennis performance difficult for a while. She worked hard to overcome these challenges and focus on her game.

Daniela is very talented with languages. She speaks Slovak, Czech, English, and German fluently. She also knows some Croatian and Italian. Besides tennis, she was trained to play the classical piano. She is known for being a perfectionist and puts a lot of effort into her training. Daniela was accepted into university in Slovakia but chose to focus on her tennis career instead.

Daniela's Tennis Journey

Starting as a Pro in 1999

Daniela became a professional tennis player in 1999. She played in several smaller tournaments called ITF tournaments. She won a $25,000 tournament in Jackson and another in Fano. She also won a doubles tournament in Civitanova Marche. Later that year, she played in her first WTA tournament, the Eurotel Slovak Open.

First Big Steps in 2000

In 2000, Daniela played in the Australian Open qualifiers. She reached her first ever WTA quarterfinal at the Strasbourg tournament. She also won her first WTA Tour title in doubles at the Slovak Indoors with her partner Karina Habšudová.

Reaching Semifinals in 2001

Daniela reached her first WTA singles semifinal at the U.S. Indoor Championships in 2001. She also had a great run at Wimbledon in mixed doubles. Partnering with Leoš Friedl, they won the mixed doubles title. This was Daniela's first Grand Slam victory!

Breakthrough Year: 2002

Daniela Hantuchová in 2005

The year 2002 was a huge one for Daniela. She started as world No. 38 and made it to the third round of the Australian Open in singles. In doubles, she and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario reached the final. In mixed doubles, she and Kevin Ullyett won the title, giving Daniela her second Grand Slam win.

In March, Daniela won her first WTA Tour singles title at the Indian Wells Open. She was ranked No. 25 at the time, making her the lowest-ranked player to ever win that event. She also reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open. She finished the year in the top 10.

Becoming World No. 5 in 2003

Daniela started 2003 strong, reaching the quarterfinals in her first three tournaments. She made it to the semifinals in Antwerp. By then, her ranking reached a career-high of world No. 5. However, the rest of the year was challenging for her. She faced difficulties and her ranking dropped to No. 17 by the end of the year.

Finding Her Form in 2004

Daniela Hantuchová at Eastbourne in 2004

Daniela continued to work hard in 2004. She reached the final at the Eastbourne tournament, which was her third career final. She also had a notable win over Maria Sharapova in Tokyo. She finished the year ranked No. 31.

Mixed Doubles Grand Slam in 2005

Daniela Hantuchová practicing during the Australian Open in 2005

In 2005, Daniela achieved a major milestone by completing the career Grand Slam in mixed doubles. She won the mixed doubles titles at the French Open and the US Open. This made her one of only five female players to achieve this feat. After this, she decided to focus more on her singles career. She reached a singles final in Los Angeles and several quarterfinals and semifinals throughout the year.

Strong Start to 2006

Daniela Hantuchová at the Zurich Open in 2006

Daniela had a great start to 2006 at the 2006 Australian Open. She beat defending champion Serena Williams in the third round, which was a big win. She reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in three years. She also reached the French Open doubles final with Ai Sugiyama. Daniela finished the year ranked No. 17.

Winning Indian Wells Again in 2007

Daniela Hantuchová at the 2007 Luxembourg Open

In 2007, Daniela won the Indian Wells Open for the second time. This was a Tier I event, meaning it was one of the biggest tournaments outside of the Grand Slams. She beat several top players on her way to the title. This win helped her return to the top 10 rankings for the first time since 2003. She also won the Generali Ladies Linz title later that year. Daniela finished 2007 ranked world No. 9, her first top-ten finish since 2002.

First Grand Slam Semifinal in 2008

Daniela Hantuchová at the Australian Open in 2008

Daniela reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the 2008 Australian Open. She played very well, winning her first three matches without losing a set. She lost to Ana Ivanovic in the semifinals. This performance improved her ranking to world No. 8. However, she later suffered a stress fracture in her right foot, which kept her out of many tournaments.

Consistent Play in 2009

Daniela Hantuchová at the 2009 Brisbane International

In 2009, Daniela and her doubles partner Ai Sugiyama reached the doubles final at the 2009 Australian Open. They lost to Serena and Venus Williams. Daniela showed consistent results in singles, reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon and the US Open. She finished the year ranked No. 24.

Steady Ranking in 2010

Daniela Hantuchová at the Family Circle Cup in 2010

Daniela reached her first singles final since 2007 at the Monterrey Open in 2010. She also had strong performances at the Miami Open and the Charleston Cup. She continued to represent Slovakia in the Fed Cup, helping them reach the World Group I for 2011. She finished the year ranked No. 30.

Fifth WTA Title in 2011

Daniela Hantuchová at the Southern California Open in 2011

In 2011, Daniela won her fifth WTA singles title at the Pattaya Open. This was her first title in over three years. She also had a big win at the 2011 French Open, defeating world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. She reached her second career grass-court final at the Birmingham Classic. She finished the year ranked No. 24.

Back-to-Back Titles and Injuries in 2012

Daniela Hantuchová at 2012 Wimbledon Championships

Daniela started 2012 by reaching the final at the 2012 Brisbane International. She then successfully defended her title at the Pattaya Open, winning her sixth career singles title. However, she suffered a stress fracture in her foot, which caused her to miss two months of play. Despite this, she played at the London Olympics and reached the third round.

Sixth Career Title and US Open Quarterfinal in 2013

Daniela Hantuchová in 2013

In 2013, Daniela won her sixth career singles title at the Birmingham Classic. During this tournament, she achieved her 500th career win, becoming only the 37th woman in the Open Era to do so. She also had a fantastic run at the 2013 US Open, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. She finished the year back in the top 50.

Inconsistent Results in 2014

In 2014, Daniela had some inconsistent results. She reached the third round of the 2014 Australian Open and a semifinal in Marrakech. She also played for the San Diego Aviators in World TeamTennis and was named the WTT Female Most Valuable Player.

Seventh WTA Tour Title in 2015

Daniela Hantuchová at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships

Daniela won her seventh WTA tournament title at the Thailand Open in 2015. This was a great achievement. She also reached the quarterfinals at the Birmingham Classic. She finished 2015 ranked No. 81, marking her 15th straight season in the top 100.

Out of the Top 100 in 2016

In 2016, Daniela fell out of the top 100 rankings for the first time since 2002. She played in the 2016 French Open after going through qualifying rounds.

Retirement in 2017

In 2017, Daniela played in the qualifying rounds for the 2017 Australian Open. She also played one match in the Fed Cup against Italy, which Slovakia won. On July 6, 2017, at Wimbledon, Daniela Hantuchová announced her retirement from professional tennis.

How Daniela Played Tennis

Daniela Hantuchová played tennis right-handed, but she used both hands for her backhand shots. She was known for hitting the ball with great timing and excellent technique. She was a "superb ball-striker" who hit deep and accurate shots. Her two-handed backhand was a very strong part of her game.

She was often described as an "all-rounder" because she could play well from all areas of the court. She had a strong and accurate serve and was also good at playing close to the net. Daniela was famous for her long legs, which helped her cover a lot of ground quickly on the court. Her height (5 feet 11 inches) also helped her reach shots. She was known for her stamina and for winning many matches that went to three sets.

Images for kids

Daniela Hantuchová with doubles partner Ai Sugiyama at the French Open in 2006
Daniela Hantuchová at the 2007 Bank of the West Classic
Daniela Hantuchová in July 2008
Daniela Hantuchová at the 2008 Fortis Championships
Daniela Hantuchová at the French Open in 2009
Daniela Hantuchová practicing at the Bank of the West Classic in 2010
Daniela Hantuchová with doubles partner Dominika Cibulková at the Southern California Open in 2012
Beginning in August 2013, Hantuchová began a doubles partnership with former world No. 1, Martina Hingis
Daniela Hantuchová at the 2014 Aegon International