Dominika Cibulkova retires from tennis

Published by Reuters / Tennismash

Dominika Cibulkova in action during her last professional match, a first-round loss to Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros in May 2019. (Getty Images)
Former world No.4 and Australian Open 2014 finalist Dominika Cibulkova announces her retirement after a successful 15-year pro career.

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.

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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.

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.”

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