WTA 2016: Top 5 performers of the year

#4 Dominika Cibulkova

Cibulkova was voted ‘Comeback Player of the Year’ for her performances in 2016

Semi Finals – 1 Runner up – 3 Titles – 4

2016 has been a fairy tale year for the 27-year-old from Slovakia. From being World No 38 at the end of the 2015 season, Cibulkova displayed immense improvement to end up as the WTA player with the maximum titles this season. 4 out of her 8 career titles have come in 2016 alone!

She won the Katowice Open, Eastbourne International and General Ladies Linz en route to her journey to the WTA Finals. She also got married in July 2016 – and that has always proved to be fortuitous for both ATP and WTA players!

In Singapore, she lost her first two round-robin matches and the road ahead seemed too steep for her to conquer. However, she showcased guts and grit to defeat Halep in the third match to qualify for the semifinals. After that, the Slovakian did not rest until she beat Kerber in straight sets in the final to clinch the coveted trophy.

In the world of WTA where every player has a staunch physique and big hitting power, the 5’3” Dominica Cibulkova has demonstrated the power of dedication with her heartwarming performance this season. As an appreciation of her incredible resurgence, she also won the WTA “Comeback Player of the Year” award for 2016.