Daniela Hantuchova was born in Poprad, Slovakia on April 23rd 1983 to parents Igor, a university professor, and Marianna, a toxicologist.
Despite the academic success of her parents, Daniela's career was always going to be tennis. Whilst her entire family were keen players, Daniela was probably inspired most by her grandmother Helena, a former Czechoslovakia national player, who introduced Daniela to the sport at the tender age of three.
Aware of her granddaughter's potential, Helena signed her up at Slavia STU, a prestigious tennis club in Bratislava, where the young Daniela was instructed by Joseph Bulko.
Aged thirteen, Daniela started to spend the winter months at the Bollettieri Academy in Florida, a tennis club with an enviable record for developing talents of the future. Two years later Daniela joined the ITF circuit and went on to win two ITF Challenger titles in 1999, aged just sixteen. By now, Daniela had turned professional and tennis observers were starting to take notice.
Daniela announced her arrival on the pro tennis circuit in 2000 when she reached the quarter-finals first in Strasbourg and then in Luxembourg, having taken her first major scalp by beating top-10 player Nathalie Tauziat.
Daniela played in her first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open, in 2001 where she qualified for the first round, only to be beaten by Anna Kournikova.
The U.S. Open was a smilar story, again defeated in the first round after qualifying. But progress came in the remaining Grand Slams of 2001, with Daniela reaching the second round at both the French Open and at Wimbledon. It was also at the All England Tennis Club that Daniela won her first grand slam mixed doubles title with partner Leos Friedl.
A Wimbledon champion at just eighteen, the young Daniela went on to reach the semi-finals at Birmingham and Oklahoma and began 2002 with a greatly improved world ranking of 38, a position she maintained with another mixed doubles Grand Slam victory, this time at the Australian Open with new partner Kevin Ullyett.
In March 2002, Daniela beat Martina Hingis at the Indian Wells Final to win her first professional singles title, and netting a cool $2m in prize money.
Two more doubles titles followed, this time with Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, at Amelia Island and then New Haven. Daniela was now being recognised as an emerging force in women's tennis and she would confirm this with two Grand Slam quarter-final appearances at The U.S. Open and at Wimbledon.
Her world ranking had reached the dizzy heights of #8 by the end of 2002 and Daniela had also helped Slovakia to win the Federations Cup. Things were certainly looking good for the young Slovakian. She won the WTA Tour's Most Improved Player of the Year award and was nominated for World Newcomer of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards.
In early 2003, Daniela continued to make further progress, improving her ranking to #5 in the world. But in the second half of the year, it became clear Daniela had hit a wall and simply could not buy a title. Rumours of an eating disorder abounded when it became clear that Daniela was shedding pounds. Could this explain the drop in form?
A change of coach did little to change things and she ended the year ranked #19. Daniela was back on the winning trail in 2004, but she has yet to make it back into the top ten and currently stands at #31 in the world.
In 2005 reached another Top 20 season became runner-up once, at Los Angeles (l. to Clijsters in final) also made Top 20 return on August 29 first time in Top 20 since January 2004 Daniela won two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles at Roland Garros (w/Santoro) and US Open (w/Bhupathi) she became second woman in Open Era (Navratilova) and fourth in tennis history (also Court, King) to complete career Grand Slam in mixed doubles helped Slovakia win Hopman Cup (w/Hrbaty).
In 2006 reached another Top 20 season became runner-up once, at Zürich (l. to Sharapova in final) she had four Top 10 wins also best Grand Slams were 4rd at Australian Open defated S.Williams in 3rd for first win in 12 meetings vs. Williams sisters; l. to Sharapova), Roland Garros (l. to Clijsters) and Wimbledon (l. to Henin); returned to doubles career-high No.5 on June 12 after reaching Roland Garros final w/Sugiyama; rose from No.11 to No.5.
In 2007 reached Second Top 10 season highlighted by winning second and third Tour singles titles at Indian Wells defeated Kuznetsova in final it was first Tour singles title since same event five years earlier. Runner-up twice at Bali then she had five Top 10 wins in regular season and made Top 10 return on June 18, she also qualified for second Tour Championships, also first win over a Top 3 player, her best previous wins being three wins over No.4s reached best Grand Slams were 4rd at Australian Open (l. to Clijsters) and Wimbledon (l. to S.Williams) also surpassed $5 million in career prize money during season, first Slovak woman to achieve that.
In 2008 is good start marred by mid-season injury lay-off resulting in first non-Top 20 finish since 2004; went 12-7 to start, a stretch highlighted by reaching first career Grand Slam SF at Australian Open (as No.9 seed, d. No.29 seed A.Radwanska in QF, having been 0-3 in Grand Slam QF before; l. to No.4 seed Ivanovic 06 63 64, having led 60 20) and three QF, at Paris [Indoors] (as No.2 seed, l. to No.7 seed Szavay 76(4) 61; led 4-1 first set), Antwerp (as No.3 seed, ret. vs. qualifier Bacsinszky w/respiratory illness that caused subsequent withdrawals from Doha and Dubai) and Indian Wells (as No.5 seed, l. to No.4 seed Sharapova 76(2) 61; led 5-2 first set w/sp at 5-4); three pre-QF losses in that stretch came at Sydney (as No.6 seed, l. to Vaidisova in 2r), Miami (as No.7 seed, l. to Sugiyama 64 67(8) 75 in 3r; rallied from 64 52 down and saved mp in second set tie-break, then led 4-2 third set before falling) and Amelia Island (as No.3 seed w/1r bye, l. to qualifier Sprem in 3s in 2r); missed rest of clay court season and grass court lead-up w/right heel stress fracture (withdrew from Berlin, Rome, Istanbul, Roland Garros and 's-Hertogenbosch); went 10-13 thereafter, a stretch highlighted by SF at Bali (as top seed, l. to Paszek in 3s) and three QF, at New Haven (as No.2 seed, l. to No.7 seed Cornet in 3s), Beijing (as No.7 seed, l. to top seed and eventual champion Jankovic 75 61; held 2sp at 5-4 first set) and Luxembourg (as No.3 seed, l. to No.8 seed Cirstea 76(2) 62; led 5-2 first set w/sp at 6-5); fell 1r or 2r nine times in that stretch, incl. Wimbledon (comeback event; as No.10 seed, l. to Kleybanova in 3s in 2r), Olympics (as No.10 seed, l. to Wozniacki in 2r) and US Open (as No.11 seed, l. to qualifier Groenefeld in 1r); spent 90th career week in Top 10 between June 16 and 22 then dipped out for rest of season (spent first 47 weeks in Top 10 between October 14, 2002 and September 7, 2003, all consecutive; next 43 weeks came non-consecutively between June 18, 2007 and June 22, 2008); after falling out of Top 10 spent rest of 2008 ranked between No.11 and No.19, then dipped to No.21 on November 10 year-end rankings first time outside of Top 20 in over two years.
Despite the academic success of her parents, Daniela's career was always going to be tennis. Whilst her entire family were keen players, Daniela was probably inspired most by her grandmother Helena, a former Czechoslovakia national player, who introduced Daniela to the sport at the tender age of three.
Aware of her granddaughter's potential, Helena signed her up at Slavia STU, a prestigious tennis club in Bratislava, where the young Daniela was instructed by Joseph Bulko.
Aged thirteen, Daniela started to spend the winter months at the Bollettieri Academy in Florida, a tennis club with an enviable record for developing talents of the future. Two years later Daniela joined the ITF circuit and went on to win two ITF Challenger titles in 1999, aged just sixteen. By now, Daniela had turned professional and tennis observers were starting to take notice.
Daniela announced her arrival on the pro tennis circuit in 2000 when she reached the quarter-finals first in Strasbourg and then in Luxembourg, having taken her first major scalp by beating top-10 player Nathalie Tauziat.
Daniela played in her first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open, in 2001 where she qualified for the first round, only to be beaten by Anna Kournikova.
The U.S. Open was a smilar story, again defeated in the first round after qualifying. But progress came in the remaining Grand Slams of 2001, with Daniela reaching the second round at both the French Open and at Wimbledon. It was also at the All England Tennis Club that Daniela won her first grand slam mixed doubles title with partner Leos Friedl.
A Wimbledon champion at just eighteen, the young Daniela went on to reach the semi-finals at Birmingham and Oklahoma and began 2002 with a greatly improved world ranking of 38, a position she maintained with another mixed doubles Grand Slam victory, this time at the Australian Open with new partner Kevin Ullyett.
In March 2002, Daniela beat Martina Hingis at the Indian Wells Final to win her first professional singles title, and netting a cool $2m in prize money.
Two more doubles titles followed, this time with Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, at Amelia Island and then New Haven. Daniela was now being recognised as an emerging force in women's tennis and she would confirm this with two Grand Slam quarter-final appearances at The U.S. Open and at Wimbledon.
Her world ranking had reached the dizzy heights of #8 by the end of 2002 and Daniela had also helped Slovakia to win the Federations Cup. Things were certainly looking good for the young Slovakian. She won the WTA Tour's Most Improved Player of the Year award and was nominated for World Newcomer of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards.
In early 2003, Daniela continued to make further progress, improving her ranking to #5 in the world. But in the second half of the year, it became clear Daniela had hit a wall and simply could not buy a title. Rumours of an eating disorder abounded when it became clear that Daniela was shedding pounds. Could this explain the drop in form?
A change of coach did little to change things and she ended the year ranked #19. Daniela was back on the winning trail in 2004, but she has yet to make it back into the top ten and currently stands at #31 in the world.
In 2005 reached another Top 20 season became runner-up once, at Los Angeles (l. to Clijsters in final) also made Top 20 return on August 29 first time in Top 20 since January 2004 Daniela won two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles at Roland Garros (w/Santoro) and US Open (w/Bhupathi) she became second woman in Open Era (Navratilova) and fourth in tennis history (also Court, King) to complete career Grand Slam in mixed doubles helped Slovakia win Hopman Cup (w/Hrbaty).
In 2006 reached another Top 20 season became runner-up once, at Zürich (l. to Sharapova in final) she had four Top 10 wins also best Grand Slams were 4rd at Australian Open defated S.Williams in 3rd for first win in 12 meetings vs. Williams sisters; l. to Sharapova), Roland Garros (l. to Clijsters) and Wimbledon (l. to Henin); returned to doubles career-high No.5 on June 12 after reaching Roland Garros final w/Sugiyama; rose from No.11 to No.5.
In 2007 reached Second Top 10 season highlighted by winning second and third Tour singles titles at Indian Wells defeated Kuznetsova in final it was first Tour singles title since same event five years earlier. Runner-up twice at Bali then she had five Top 10 wins in regular season and made Top 10 return on June 18, she also qualified for second Tour Championships, also first win over a Top 3 player, her best previous wins being three wins over No.4s reached best Grand Slams were 4rd at Australian Open (l. to Clijsters) and Wimbledon (l. to S.Williams) also surpassed $5 million in career prize money during season, first Slovak woman to achieve that.
In 2008 is good start marred by mid-season injury lay-off resulting in first non-Top 20 finish since 2004; went 12-7 to start, a stretch highlighted by reaching first career Grand Slam SF at Australian Open (as No.9 seed, d. No.29 seed A.Radwanska in QF, having been 0-3 in Grand Slam QF before; l. to No.4 seed Ivanovic 06 63 64, having led 60 20) and three QF, at Paris [Indoors] (as No.2 seed, l. to No.7 seed Szavay 76(4) 61; led 4-1 first set), Antwerp (as No.3 seed, ret. vs. qualifier Bacsinszky w/respiratory illness that caused subsequent withdrawals from Doha and Dubai) and Indian Wells (as No.5 seed, l. to No.4 seed Sharapova 76(2) 61; led 5-2 first set w/sp at 5-4); three pre-QF losses in that stretch came at Sydney (as No.6 seed, l. to Vaidisova in 2r), Miami (as No.7 seed, l. to Sugiyama 64 67(8) 75 in 3r; rallied from 64 52 down and saved mp in second set tie-break, then led 4-2 third set before falling) and Amelia Island (as No.3 seed w/1r bye, l. to qualifier Sprem in 3s in 2r); missed rest of clay court season and grass court lead-up w/right heel stress fracture (withdrew from Berlin, Rome, Istanbul, Roland Garros and 's-Hertogenbosch); went 10-13 thereafter, a stretch highlighted by SF at Bali (as top seed, l. to Paszek in 3s) and three QF, at New Haven (as No.2 seed, l. to No.7 seed Cornet in 3s), Beijing (as No.7 seed, l. to top seed and eventual champion Jankovic 75 61; held 2sp at 5-4 first set) and Luxembourg (as No.3 seed, l. to No.8 seed Cirstea 76(2) 62; led 5-2 first set w/sp at 6-5); fell 1r or 2r nine times in that stretch, incl. Wimbledon (comeback event; as No.10 seed, l. to Kleybanova in 3s in 2r), Olympics (as No.10 seed, l. to Wozniacki in 2r) and US Open (as No.11 seed, l. to qualifier Groenefeld in 1r); spent 90th career week in Top 10 between June 16 and 22 then dipped out for rest of season (spent first 47 weeks in Top 10 between October 14, 2002 and September 7, 2003, all consecutive; next 43 weeks came non-consecutively between June 18, 2007 and June 22, 2008); after falling out of Top 10 spent rest of 2008 ranked between No.11 and No.19, then dipped to No.21 on November 10 year-end rankings first time outside of Top 20 in over two years.
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