Dominika Cibulkova retires from tennis

Dominika Cibulkova, who reached the 2014 Australian Open final and won the WTA Finals in 2016, says she has retired from tennis.

The former world No.4 announced her retirement on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Slovakian claimed eight WTA singles titles and entered the top four in 2017.

Her biggest title came in 2016 when she defeated then world No.1 Angelique Kerber to win the WTA Finals in Singapore.

NEWS: Thiem tames Djokovic, into ATP Finals semis

Cibulkova, who has not played since the French Open, became the first Slovak woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final in 2014 when she lost to China’s Li Na at the Australian Open.

That year at Melbourne Park she enjoyed a stunning run to the final, beating Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep and Agnieszka Radwanska in consecutive matches before falling to the Chinese star.

Cibulkova first broke through at Grand Slam level at the French Open in 2009, when she went all the way to the semifinals.

She also reached three Wimbledon quarterfinals — in 2011, 2016 and 2018 — as well as the US Open quarterfinals in 2010.

Dominika Cibulkova was one of the game’s ultimate disrupters.

Six wins over the WTA #1 (twice at Slams), a Slam final, and won YEC Singapore, all by playing sustainably fearless tennis. She’ll be missed on tour, for sure.

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) November 12, 2019

She said she had made up her mind about retirement at Roland Garros.

“It was strange because I knew, and no one around me except my team knew it would be my last tournament,” she said.

“At that point, I was 100 per cent sure. I wasn’t doubting or thinking ‘maybe yes or no.’ I knew I wanted to do it like this, for this to be my last tournament. I went home and was happy with my decision.

“It’s hard to make it, but once you do, you feel more free.”