Cibulkova – the diminutive ‘Dynamite’,
View(s):Winner of 2016 WTA Finals
At five foot three inches, 27 year old Slovenian Dominika Cibulkova is the diminutive player in the top ten and she is also the lightest weighing just 121 pounds. Cibulkova is not known for any big ‘killer shots’ and made it into the top eight to play in Singapore only in the late season run with an aggressive game positioning inside the court and often going to net. This has been the brand of tennis that has kept her in the professional limelight.
‘Astonishing’ is not strong enough to express the performance of Cibulkova in Singapore. Before the event she was the least expected player to win the 2016 WTA-Finals. She lost her opening match, then won the next five. Dominika Cibulkova simply defied gravity to grab the coveted title of the year – the 2016 WTA Finals beating Germany’s Angelique Kerber, world’s number one at her peak.
Early rounds
In the round robin stage of the event her first encounter was against Kerber. Cibulkova gave some indications but it was easy to write it off as ‘one-off’ performances of an underdog. Kerber won that match. The next match Cibulkova played and won was against Romanian Simona Halep. It left many lost for words. No one remembers Cibulkova playing like that to beat Halep in straight sets and it was clear at this point that Cibulkova was not in Singapore just to say ‘hello’.
To reach the semi finals she had to beat USA’s Madison Keys. Here Cibulkova survived narrowly. Keys threw everything she had into it and very effectively too. Like a good ‘Terrier’ in the third set, Cibulkova proved to be the stronger and smarter mentally.
Never say ‘die’
In the semi finals Cibulkova was pitched against Russian Stevlana Kuznetsova who got there with very good wins in her group. After the first set, which Kuznetsova won, many in the audience must have planned for an early rendezvous in the city. Then to the astonishment of all, Cibulkova showed the world how tough a player she was. Experienced Kuznetsova tried everything including a ten minute break before the third set to shake her off. After the sixth game into the third set, it was Kuznetsova who lead 4/2 but the last few games of this set from Cibulkova are a lesson to players as to how mental toughness is the key to win.
The mental toughness of Cibulkova got her into top gear of her ‘physical reaction’. She is well known for it and that is what put her into the top hundred a few years back. In this match Cibulkova moved and returned with such venom from inside the court giving Kuznetsova nearly no targets to play. Cibulkova’s amazing reaction took away the comfort zone of Kuznetsova completely. Kuznetsova has an impeccable record against Cibulkova to her credit but this match changed it. The stress with which Cibulkova performed in the final game came out emotionally at the end of the match when she rolled on the floor and cried.
The finals
In the WTA final between Kerber and Cibulkova, I cannot recall Kerber ever being so helpless in any match this year. Cibulkova was not the player Kerber beat six days ago. Throughout the match Cibulkova played from inside the baseline and Kerber was six feet behind the baseline. From this position Kerber’s shots gave Cibulkova ample time to play her aggressive game. No one expected her to sustain it against Kerber. Cibulkova not only won the title and more than a million dollars, the win also put this ‘little-Dynamite’ into the 5th position in the world.
Cibulkova’s brand
Kerber will have to consider this to be the best year of her carrier reaching the number one spot. For Cibulkova, 2016 is a fairy tale year. In Singapore she etched her name on stone. While players are known for ‘killer’ shots and technical perfection no one has been able to achieve this with sheer strength of personality, with a ‘never say die’ mental attitude and exhibit this level of energy in Tennis for decades. Cibulkova’s energy was so immense it overwhelmed and moved the spectators in a packed stadium. In every match she played before the end of the first set her energy grabbed the emotion of the people and moved it in a never ending wave and reached their hearts.
2017 prospects
The professional tour is tough on women. Most of them must have gone round the world thrice to play in all five continents in ten months. Madison Keys will play a pivotal role in the revival of America’s Tennis in 2017. It is not easy to discount her after her performance this year. As for Europe, never was it as strong as now with Germany’s Kerber, Poland’s Radwanska, Romania’s Halep, Spain’s Muguruza, Slovenia’s Cibulkova, Pliskova from Czech Republic, Russia’s Kuznetsova and Great Britain’s Konta that make up the top ten. Players will now take a break till the first week of January. For the just married Cibulkova, Christmas will be perfect.
George Paldano, Former intl. player; Accredited Coach of Germany; National, Davis-Cup, Federation Cup captain/coach– georgepaldano@yahoo.com