Dominika Cibulková facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dominika Cibulková

Cibulková at the 2019 French Open
Full name	Dominika Navara Cibulková
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 44th in all-time rankings
Singles
Career record	450–299 (60.08%)
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 (40.44%)
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 (born May 6, 1989) is a former professional tennis player from Slovakia. She is famous for winning the 2016 WTA Finals, a big tournament for top players. She was the fourth player ever to win this event in her first try. Throughout her career, she won eight singles titles on the WTA Tour.

Dominika was a strong player who reached the quarterfinals or even further in all four major tennis tournaments, known as Grand Slams. A big moment for her was reaching the final of the 2014 Australian Open. Even though she didn't win, she was the first Slovak woman to reach a Grand Slam final!

About Dominika Cibulková

Dominika started playing tennis when she was eight years old. Her family moved to Bratislava when she was eleven. Her mother, Katarína Cibulková, is a lawyer and politician in Slovakia.

Dominika's special saying on the court was "Pome," which means "Let's go" or "Come on" in Slovak. In 2014, she even started a clothing line with this phrase, with help from her friend and fellow tennis player, Marion Bartoli.

On July 9, 2016, Dominika married her fiancé, Michal Navara. After she stopped playing tennis in 2019, she announced she was going to have a baby. Her first child was born in June 2020. In September 2022, she shared that she was expecting her second child.

Dominika's Tennis Journey

Starting Out in Tennis

Early in her career, Dominika played mostly in smaller tournaments called the ITF Women's Circuit. She won two of these tournaments: one in Portugal in 2005 and another in Slovakia in 2006.

First Big Tournaments: 2007-2008

Cibulková playing in 2007

In 2007, Dominika played in her first major tournament, the French Open. She did very well, reaching the third round. She also made it to the semifinals of a tournament in China later that year.

Cibulková at the 2008 US Open

In 2008, Dominika reached her first big WTA Tour final at the Amelia Island Championships. She played against Maria Sharapova but didn't win. She also beat Venus Williams at a tournament in Qatar. Later that year, she reached another final at the Rogers Cup in Canada, where she lost to Dinara Safina.

Grand Slam Success: 2009-2011

Cibulková at the 2009 French Open

The year 2009 was a big one for Dominika at the French Open. She made it all the way to the semifinals, which was her best result at a Grand Slam at that time. She even beat Maria Sharapova along the way!

Cibulková at the 2010 US Open

In 2010, Dominika reached the quarterfinals of the US Open. She showed her strength by beating a strong player, Svetlana Kuznetsova, before losing to the top-ranked player, Caroline Wozniacki.

Cibulková at the 2011 US Open

Dominika won her first WTA Tour title in 2011 at the Kremlin Cup in Russia. This was a special win because it was her first big championship. Earlier that year, she also beat the world No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki, at the Sydney International and again at Wimbledon, where she reached the quarterfinals.

More Titles and Milestones: 2012-2014

Cibulková at the 2012 Miami Open

In 2012, Dominika won her second career title at the Carlsbad Open in California. She also had a great run at the French Open, reaching the quarterfinals for the second time. She even beat the world No. 1, Victoria Azarenka, there!

Cibulková at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships

Dominika won her third WTA title in 2013 at the Stanford tournament, beating top player Agnieszka Radwańska in the final.

Cibulková at the 2014 Madrid Open

The year 2014 was a highlight for Dominika. She reached her first Grand Slam final at the 2014 Australian Open. This was a huge achievement, making her the first Slovak woman to do so. She also won the Mexican Open and reached the semifinals of the Miami Open, which helped her enter the top 10 players in the world for the first time.

Overcoming Challenges: 2015

Cibulková at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships

In 2015, Dominika faced a challenge when she had surgery on her Achilles tendon, which meant she missed several tournaments. She worked hard to recover and returned to play later that year. She showed her fighting spirit by beating former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic at the US Open.

Career Peak: 2016

Cibulková at the 2016 US Open

The year 2016 was Dominika's best season. She won three WTA titles: the Katowice Open, the Eastbourne International (her first title on grass courts), and the Ladies Linz. These wins helped her qualify for the WTA Finals in Singapore, a tournament only for the top players of the year.

At the WTA Finals, Dominika surprised everyone. Even though she lost two matches in the group stage, she managed to reach the semifinals. She then beat Svetlana Kuznetsova to reach the final. In the championship match, she defeated the world No. 1, Angelique Kerber, in straight sets to win the biggest title of her career! She finished the year ranked No. 5 in the world, her highest ranking ever.

Later Career and Retirement: 2017-2019

Cibulková at the 2017 Eastbourne International

In 2017, Dominika continued to play well, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 4 in March. She also won her first doubles title at the Ricoh Open with her partner Kirsten Flipkens.

Cibulková at the 2018 Connecticut Open

Dominika continued to compete in 2018, reaching two finals at smaller tournaments. She also made it to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the third time. Towards the end of the year, she opened her own tennis academy in Bratislava, called Love4Tennis.

In 2019, Dominika played her last professional matches. She officially retired from tennis at the end of the season. Her final match was in doubles at the French Open, playing alongside Lucie Šafářová, who also retired after that tournament.

How Dominika Played Tennis

Dominika Cibulková was known for her exciting and aggressive style of play. She often said she had "a lot of energy" on the court.

• Powerful Shots: She hit the ball very hard and fast, especially with her forehand and backhand. This made it tough for her opponents to return her shots.
• Quick Movement: Dominika was very fast around the court, which helped her reach almost any ball.
• Attacking Style: She liked to attack the ball early, even when it was still rising, and often came to the net to finish points with strong volleys.
• Mental Toughness: When a point ended, she would quickly get ready for the next one. This helped her stay focused and put pressure on her opponents.

Dominika's strong serves and ability to hit winners made her a challenging player for anyone to face.

Dominika Cibulková's Major Achievements

Grand Slam Final

Dominika reached one Grand Slam final in her career.

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Lost	2014	Australian Open	Hard	Li Na	6–7(3–7), 0–6

WTA Finals Champion

Dominika won the prestigious WTA Finals once.

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Won	2016	WTA Finals, Singapore	Hard (indoor)	Angelique Kerber	6–3, 6–4

Grand Slam Performance Over the Years

This table shows how Dominika Cibulková performed in the main Grand Slam tournaments each year.