By: Elena Scuro Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve .aspx)
One of the most familiar faces in tennis is 28-year-old Daniela Hantuchova. Since 1999, the Slovakian has traveled around the world with the WTA Tour and is known to be one of the kindest and hardest working players. Get to know a little bit more about her:
1. Defending Champion Finally Defended: Hantuchova has won five WTA titles but it wasn’t until last weekend that she successfully defended a title. She won the Pattaya Open, defeating Maria Kirilenko 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the final.
2. Career Mixed Doubles Grand Slam: In 2005, Hantuchova became the fifth female tennis player to win the mixed doubles title in all four Grand Slam tournaments during her career: 2001 Wimbledon (with Leos Friedl), 2002 Australian Open (with Kevin Ullyett), 2005 French Open (with Fabrice Santoro) and 2005 US Open (with Mahesh Bhupathi).
3. She’s multi-lingual: Hantuchova speaks Slovak, German, English and a few Italian words. “With Slovak you can understand some other languages, like Czech, Slovenian, Croatian,” she said. “The first language I learned was actually German, because we're so close to Germany and Austria, so in school that's the first language they teach you in Slovakia.”
4. Tennis Preference: Per her WTA profile, Hantuchova’s favorite surface is grass and her favorite event is Wimbledon.
5. She’s A Foodie: Per her web site, Hantuchova lists her favorite foods as “whatever my mom cooks. When I travel I love Italian - pizza, pasta - I also like sushi and crepes with Nutella!”
6. She’s Been In Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition: In 2009, Hantuchova appeared alongside fellow tennis players Maria Kirilenko and Tatiana Golovin in Sports Illustrated’s famed Swimsuit Edition. The pictorial was entitled “Volley of the Dolls.” On being in the magazine, Hantuchova said “It was very, very exciting. I think it is every girl's dream to be part of SI, and it was a fantastic experience.”
7. Dream Boys And Deal Breakers: Hantuchova said her dream guy is “someone who has the best heart, makes me laugh and is the best person inside.” When it comes to deal breakers, she doesn’t like “when the guy is late, speaks only about himself and doesn't open the door for me.”
8. A Young Beethoven: Hantuchova studied classical piano between ages 6 and 14.
9. Italian Influences: Hantuchova has a thing for Italy. Her favorite city is Rome, her favorite movie is Gladiator and her favorite designers include Armani, Cavalli and Missoni.
10. Wiser With Age: At age 28, Hantuchova has said she’s more confident, relaxed, calmer and mentally stronger on court. “I stay focused on my game without worrying about my opponent or doubting myself.”