Dominika Cibulkova has no fear of retaliation from Maria Sharapova after candidly calling out the Russian as "a totally unlikeable person."
Last month, Cibulkova called Sharapova "arrogant, conceited and cold."
Watch: Cibulkova Celebrates 27th Birthday Bursting Into Madrid Final
Asked today if she's "worried" about any revenge reprisal from Sharapova, Cibulkova wasn't exactly shaking in her sneakers.
"You think she's going to beat me in the locker or what? No, no reactions. Nothing," Cibulkova said after dismissing American qualifier Louisa Chirico to roar into her third final of the season at the Madrid Open.
Cibulkova was not shy taking a few shots at Sharapova last month after the former No. 1 admitted testing positive for meldonium at the Australian Open.
"I was surprised that most of the reactions were so diplomatic, because everyone's opinion is actually totally different," the 26-year-old Slovakian told sport.sk when asked her views on Sharapova’s drug suspension. "I didn't make any statement, as I didn't want to be the only person to openly say what they think about this case. I will only say that I don't feel sorry at all for Sharapova and I don't miss her on the tour.”
Sharapova, provisionally suspended for testing positive meldonium since March 12, has yet to learn the outcome of her hearing.
"She's a totally unlikeable person,” Cibulkova added. “Arrogant, conceited and cold. When I sit beside her in the locker room, she won't even say hello."
Cibulkova isn’t the first player to come out strongly against Sharapova. France’s Kristina Mladenovic candidly called out the Russian for the disdain she displayed toward some colleagues on the WTA Tour.
“She wasn’t really liked,” Mladenovic said. “I respected her for her career but she wasn’t really nice nor polite, let’s be honest.”
Photo credit: Christopher Levy