Dominika Cibulková

Dominika Cibulková

Cibulková at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships
Country (sports)  Slovakia
Residence Bratislava, Slovakia
Born (1989-05-06) 6 May 1989
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Height 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Turned pro 2004
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money US$ 7,002,934
Singles
Career record 343–231 (59.76%)
Career titles 4 WTA, 2 ITF
Highest ranking No. 10 (31 March 2014)
Current ranking No. 66 (8 February 2016)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open F (2014)
French Open SF (2009)
Wimbledon QF (2011)
US Open QF (2010)
Doubles
Career record 49–74
Career titles 0
Highest ranking No. 59 (13 August 2012)
Current ranking No. 151 (8 February 2016)
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)
Hopman Cup W (2009)
Last updated on: 8 February 2016.

Dominika Cibulková (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈdominika ˈtsibulkoʋaː]; born 6 May 1989)[1][2] is a professional Slovak tennis player. Known for her quick and aggressive style of play, she has won six career singles titles in all; four WTA titles and two ITF ones.

She has reached the quarterfinals or better of all four Grand Slam tournaments. The most notable achievement of her career to date was a finals appearance at the 2014 Australian Open. Cibulková became the first female Slovak to reach the championship round of a Grand Slam.[3]

Personal

Cibulková was introduced to tennis at the age of eight in Piešťany. She was eleven when her family moved to Bratislava. She lists clay and hard as her favorite surfaces.[4]

Her signature expression, "Pome," translates to "Let's go" or "Come on" in English.[5][6] With the help of her friend Marion Bartoli, she began a clothing line featuring this statement in 2014.[6]

She likes dogs and has two Yorkshire terriers which accompany her on tour.[7]

Career

Early career

Early in her career, Cibulková predominantly competed on the ITF circuit, and managed to win two tournaments: the Amarante, Portugal event in 2005, and the Bratislava event in 2006.

2007: Grand Slam debut

Cibulková started her year with a win over Tara Iyer in the first round of the CANARA Bank Open, but lost to no. 4 seed Jelena Kostanić Tošić in the second round.

At the 2007 French Open she qualified and made her Grand Slam main draw debut, reaching the third round. In the second round she upset Martina Müller after beating Sun Tiantian. She eventually lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova. She also reached the third round in Amelia Island, beating Anabel Medina Garrigues but losing to her countrywoman Daniela Hantuchová and the quarterfinals of the ECM Prague Open, beating Gisela Dulko before falling to Victoria Azarenka.

Her best finish of the year came in September, when she exited at the semifinal stage at the Guangzhou International Women's Open in China. She lost to eventual champion Virginie Razzano.[8]

2008: First WTA final

At the Australian Open, Cibulková lost in the first round to Flavia Pennetta. Playing for Slovakia in the first round of Fed Cup against the Czech Republic in Brno, Cibulková split her two singles matches as her country lost the tie 3–2.[9]

At the Qatar Total Open, Cibulková reached her first ever Tier I quarterfinal, defeating former world no. 1 Venus Williams in the third round, before losing to Agnieszka Radwańska in the quarterfinals. In April, Cibulková reached the final of a WTA event for the first time. At the Tier II clay court Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida, Cibulková lost in the final to Maria Sharapova. Cibulková was seeded 30th in singles at Wimbledon but lost in the first round to unseeded wildcard and eventual semifinalist Zheng Jie of China. At the Rogers Cup in Montreal, Cibulková defeated second-seeded Jelena Janković in the quarterfinals and Marion Bartoli in the semifinals, but lost to seventh-seeded Dinara Safina in the final.[9]

2009: First French Open semifinal

At the 2009 Australian Open, Cibulková advanced to the fourth round and lost to Elena Dementieva. She began the clay season at the 2009 MPS Group Championships and 2009 Family Circle Cup, losing to Elena Vesnina and Elena Dementieva respectively.[10]

At the French Open, she was seeded 20th. She defeated Alona Bondarenko, Kirsten Flipkens, Gisela Dulko, and Ágnes 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 coach Vladimír Pláteník and fitness coach Maroš Molnár from Slovakia. Seeded 14th at Wimbledon, she beat Julie Coin and Urszula Radwańska, but lost to Elena Vesnina in the third round. She then competed at the 2009 Swedish Open where she lost to Gisela Dulko in the quarterfinals. She withdrew from the 2009 US Open and several of the following hard-court tournaments due to a rib injury.[10]

2010: US Open quarterfinal

Cibulková started 2010 by reaching the quarterfinals of the ASB Classic where she lost to top seed Flavia Pennetta. At the Australian Open, where she was seeded 23rd, Cibulková was upset by Vania King in the first round.[11]

At the 2010 Monterrey Open, Cibulková was the 4th seed. She came from a set down to beat no. 5 seed Ágnes Szávay in the quarterfinals. She fell to fellow Slovak and no. 2 seed Daniela Hantuchová in three sets. At the 2010 BNP Paribas Open she was upset by Sara Errani in the second round after receiving a bye.

She then played at the 2010 UNICEF Open, losing to Kirsten Flipkens in the quarterfinals. At Wimbledon, where she upset Lucie Šafářová and Ayumi Morita, she lost in the third round to world no. 1 Serena Williams. At the 2010 US Open, Cibulková advanced to her second career Grand Slam quarterfinal after defeating Stefanie Vögele, 2009 quarter-finalist Kateryna Bondarenko, Lourdes Domínguez Lino, and 11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. She lost to the top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.[11]

2011: First WTA title

Cibulková at the 2011 US Open

Cibulková began the year by reaching the quarterfinals of the 2011 Brisbane International, where she lost to Petra Kvitová. She then entered the 2011 Medibank International Sydney, beating then-world no. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets. She was defeated by Alisa Kleybanova in the third round. 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 WTA title, 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.[12]

2012

Seeded 17th in the Australian Open, Cibulková lost her second-round match to Gréta Arn. At the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Cibulková 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 the French Open, Cibulková 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 to Samantha Stosur.[13]

Her only Wimbledon warm up tournament was the 2012 UNICEF Open. She reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Nadia Petrova. She lost in the first round at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships to Klára Zakopalová. She defeated Marion Bartoli in straight sets to win the 2012 Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad, California, picking up the second title of her career. She reached the third round of the 2012 US Open, losing to Roberta Vinci.[13]

2013

At the Sydney Apia International, she defeated top 10 players Petra Kvitová, Sara Errani, and Angelique Kerber en route to the final, which she lost to Agnieszka Radwańska, notably failing to win a single game.[14] In the 2013 Australian Open she lost in the second round to Valeria Savinykh. At the 2013 Bank of the West Classic she won her third career WTA title, defeating Stefanie Vögele, Urszula Radwańska, Sorana Cîrstea, and Agnieszka Radwańska.

2014: First Grand Slam final and inconsistencies

Cibulková began her 2014 tennis season at the Brisbane International, where she dropped a quarter-final match to Serena Williams.[15] At the Australian Open, she won her first three matches in straight sets, setting up her first hard-court meeting with Maria Sharapova, whom she defeated in three sets. She then defeated Simona Halep in the quarterfinal to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal since the 2009 French Open.[16] Following her semifinal upset over Agnieszka Radwańska, Cibulková was featured on the January 24 cover of The Washington Post.[17] 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.[15]

In February, she played for Slovakia in a Fed Cup match against Germany. She lost both her matches, against Andrea Petkovic and Angelique Kerber. Slovakia was eliminated from the competition.[18]

Cibulková won the Mexican Open in Acapulco with a victory over Christina McHale.[15] She reached the quarterfinal round of the BNP Paribas Open, losing to Li Na. At the Sony Open in Miami, she defeated Agnieszka Radwańska in a three-set quarterfinal. With this victory, Cibulková entered the WTA 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 the BMW Malaysian Open, which she lost to Donna Vekić. After that final, Cibulková's struggles with form were noticeable, as she won just nine matches and lost fifteen till the end of season. At Grand Slams she reached the third round of the French Open and Wimbledon.[15] She exited in the first round of the US Open, losing to CiCi Bellis in three sets.

2015: Achilles surgery

Cibulková at the 2015 Australian Open

Cibulková began her 2015 year by playing at the 2015 Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia. Cibulková made it to the quarterfinals in 2014 losing to the eventual champion Serena Williams. However, this year, Cibulková lost in the first round to American Madison Keys 7-5,6-2. Next, Cibulková played at the 2015 Apia International Sydney in Sydney, Australia. This would be Cibulková's final tournament before the Australian Open. In the first round, Cibulková beat Qualifier Kristina Mladenovic. In the second round, Cibulková lost to Australian Jarmila Gajdošová. At the 2015 Australian Open, Cibulková was the 11th seed and the defending finalist. In the first round, Cibulková beat Kirsten Flipkens. In the 2nd round, she beat Tsvetana Pironkova. In the third round, Cibulková beat 19th seed Alizé Cornet. In the fourth round, Cibulková upset 2012 and 2013 Australian Open Champion Victoria Azarenka. In the Quarterfinal match, Cibulková lost to eventual champion Serena Williams. Cibulková failed to reach the final. After the Australian Open, Cibulková played at the 2015 Diamond Games in Belgium. In the quarterfinals, Cibulková lost to third seed and eventual champion Andrea Petkovic while struggling with a left Achilles Tendon injury. Cibulková underwent surgery for her left achilles tendon in February and missed more than four months.

She returned for the grass-court season at the 2015 Aegon International. In the first round, Cibulková beat Wildcard Harriet Dart. In the second round, Cibulková upset third seed Lucie Šafářová. In the 3rd round, Cibulková lost to Tsvetana Pironkova. At the 2015 Wimbledon Championships, Cibulková lost in the first round to compatriot Daniela Hantuchová.

She played at the 2015 US Open, where she beat Ana Ivanovic in the first round and Jessica Pegula in the second round before losing to Eugenie Bouchard in the third.

2016

Cibulková started her 2016 year at the 2016 Brisbane International. In the first round, Cibulková beat Yanina Wickmayer in three sets followed by a second round loss to eight seed Roberta Vinci in straight sets. Next, Cibulková played at the 2016 Hobart International where she was the third seed. She reached the semifinals by beating Johanna Konta, Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell and qualifier Kiki Bertens. In the semifinals, Cibulková lost to Eugenie Bouchardin a three-set match. At the 2016 Australian Open, Cibulková lost in the first round to 28th seed Kristina Mladenovic in two sets thus failing to defend her quarterfinal points from 2015.

Playing style

Cibulková swinging a forehand.

In 2014, Steve Tignor of Tennis.com labeled Cibulková "a threat to everyone".[19]

Self-described as a player with "a lot of energy",[4] Cibulková employs an aggressive style that is largely founded on speed and power.[20] She is recognized for her exceptional racquet-head speed,[19] which enables her to produce deep groundstrokes with her forehand and powerful shots with her backhand. She is also known for approaching the net and finishing points with swing volleys.[19][21] Her aggressive shots have been noted for their ability to force errors or produce winners during extended rallies.[22]

On defense, she often attacks second serves with quick forehands, and hits prompt returns while taking the ball on the rise. Occasionally, she will break a prolonged rally by mixing in a drop shot. Her lower body strength creates quickness around the court, enabling her to reach and return shots.[19][20]

Career statistics

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up2014Australian OpenHardChina Li Na6–7(3–7), 0–6

Singles performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF R# RR LQ (Q#) A P Z# PO SF-B F-S G NMS NH

Won tournament; reached the Finals; Semifinals; Quarterfinals; Rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; competed at a Round Robin stage; reached a Qualification Round; absent from tournament event; played in a Davis Cup or Fed Cup Zonal Group (with its number indication) or Play-off; won a Bronze, Silver (F or S) or Gold medal at the Olympics; a downgraded Masters Series/1000 tournament (Not a Masters Series); or a tournament that was Not Held in a given year.

To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated either at the conclusion of a tournament, or when the player's participation in the tournament has ended.

Tournament200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016SRW–L
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open A A Q1 1R 4R 1R 3R 2R 2R F QF 1R 0 / 9 17–9
French Open A A 3R 3R SF 3R 1R QF 2R 3R A 0 / 8 18–8
Wimbledon A A Q1 1R 3R 3R QF 1R 3R 3R 1R 0 / 8 12–8
US Open A A 2R 3R A QF 2R 3R 1R 1R 3R 0 / 8 12–8
Win–Loss 0–0 0–0 3–2 4–4 10–3 8–4 7–4 7–4 4–4 10–4 6–3 0–1 0 / 32 59–33

References

  1. ↑ Dominika Cibulková: Mám pred sebou ešte dlhú cestu, SME Ženy ; in Slovak
  2. ↑ ; Bez dresu s Dominikou Cibulkovou Videointerview in Slovak
  3. ↑ Inspired Cibulkova stuns Radwanska, WTA official website, 23 January 2014
  4. 1 2 "Dominika Cibulková". wtatennis.com. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  5. ↑ Henley, Blair (24 March 2014). "Lightning Round: Interview with Dominika Cibulkova". tennisnow.com. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Bartoli helps Cibulkova Launch 'Domi' Collection". the-slice.com. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  7. ↑ http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=96992
  8. ↑ "2007 Results". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  9. 1 2 "2008 Results". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  10. 1 2 "2009 Results". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  11. 1 2 "2010 Results". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "2011 Results". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  13. 1 2 "2012 Results". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "2013 Results". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "2014 Results". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "Dominika Cibulkova and Li Na set up Australian Open final to relish". Guardian. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  17. ↑ "Washington Post cover". newseum.org. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Germany Beats Slovakia 3–1 in Fed Cup". Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Tignor, Steve (23 January 2014). "Little Goes a Long Way". tennis.com. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  20. 1 2 diFeliciantonio, Justin (24 March 2011). "Gear Talk: Q&A with Dominika Cibulkova". tennis.com. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  21. ↑ John, Andrew (23 July 2012). "Dominika Cibulkova wins La Costa tennis title". latimes.com. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  22. ↑ Tyagi, Ajay (23 July 2012). "LIVE Victoria Azarenka vs Dominika Cibulkova French Open 2012 R16". tennisearth.com. Retrieved 5 January 2013.

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