Romana Tabák (Slovak pronunciation:[ˈrɔmanaˈtabak]) or Romana Tabáková ([-ˈtabakɔʋaː]; born 7 May 1991) is a Slovak politician and former professional tennis player. She is a former junior world No. 36, achieving that ranking in March 2008. Her career-high ranking of world No. 240 was achieved February 2012.
Political career
On 29 February 2020, Tabák got elected in parliamentary elections and became a member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic for the political party Ordinary People along with fellow Slovak tennis players Karol Kučera and Ján Krošlák.[1] In May 2022, she was expelled from the party, after voting against the potential prosecution of former prime minister Robert Fico in custody.[2] In August, she joined the parliamentary caucus of the We Are Family party.[3] In March 2023, she left the caucus over her opposition to donating Slovak Mig 29 fighter jets to Ukraine, which We Are Family supported.[4]
In late September 2022, Tabak was legally accused by a Freedom and Solidarity MP Jana Bittó Cigániková of assault in a nightclub.[5] She was sentenced of a misdemeanor and ordered to pay a 30 euro fine as a result of the attack.[6]
Tabak did not run for re-election in the 2023 parliamentary election, but announced she was joining the right wing Slovak National Party. She was also featured in advertisements for the party's electoral campaign and declared that she will run for the party in the 2024 European Parliament election.[7] She ran in fifth place on the party's electoral list but was not elected as her party failed to pass the 5% threshold.[8]
Personal life
Tabak was a contestant in 2007 in Slovakia's Next Top Model, but withdrew after a few episodes because of parental disapproval.[9]
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2008: Junior Tennis Player of the Year in Slovak Republic
Career in review
2003 – finished at No. 3 in Slovak ranking (U12)
2004 – won one singles title in tournament in Slovakia, runner-up one time
2005 – finished at No. 9 in Slovak ranking (U14); won five singles titles, runner-up two times
2006 – finished at No. 13 in Slovak ranking (U18); won two singles titles, runner-up two times, played her first ITF junior tournament in Bratislava as WC, also won her first doubles title in junior tournament Bratislava, Grade 4
2007 – finished at No. 4 in Slovak ranking (U18), won two junior tournaments Grade 2 in Pieštany (def. Lenka Juríková in final) and Prato (d. Bojanovski in final), made junior Grand Slam main-draw debut at Wimbledon, made top 100 debut in ITF ranking in May 2007, played in European Junior Championships U16, also played her first ITF tournament in Maribor, reached 1st round as qualifier (d. Anikó Kapros and Kristína Kučová in qualifying; l. to Lenka Tvarošková), won her first ITF doubles title in Espinho (w./Zagórska) in October
2008 – finished at No. 1 in Slovak ranking (U18), at No. 46 in ITF ranking, at No. 588 in WTA singles ranking and at No. 481 in WTA doubles ranking, played all four junior Grand Slam tournaments: French Open – doubles SF (w./Juríková); Wimbledon – singles SF (l. to Laura Robson) – played in European Junior Championships U18, won junior doubles title Grade 1 (w./Toljan) in Umag, won one ITF singles titles in Ilawa (d. Aleksandra Rosolska in final) and two ITF doubles titles in Bucharest (w./Boczová) and Ilawa (w./Ima Bohush), was named as Junior Player of the Year 2008 in Slovakia; she also played at Wimbledon on 25 June 2008,[11] dated Grigor Dimitrov, accompanied him at Championships Dinner at Wimbledon.
2010 – finished at No. 808 in WTA singles ranking and at No. 619 in WTA doubles ranking, won one ITF singles title in Bournemouth (d. Lisa Whybourn in final)[13] and one ITF doubles title in Antalya (w./Michaela Pochabová). From June 2010 to March 2011, she did not play any tournaments apart from the ITF Espinho event in October 2010 because of a knee injury.
2011 – finished at No. 255 in WTA singles rankings and at No. 436 in WTA doubles rankings, won four ITF singles titles in Båstad ($10k, d. Brozda in final) and hat trick in Asunción ($10k, d. Irigoyen in final; $10k, d. Schiechtl in final and $25k, d. Molinero in final), Tabak was runner-up to Scarlett Werner in the ITF tournament at Bournemouth,[14] but lost her WTA singles ranking on 9 May 2011,[15] regaining it on 23 May 2011.[16] 'Player of November' award according to the ITF.
^"Wimbledon – Tuesday's order of play". Yorkshire Post. 25 June 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2010. Court 4 (12pm): Milos Raonic (Can) v (6) Henrique Cunha (Bra), Romana Tabakova (Svk) v (14) Elena Chernyakova (Rus), ...., Cindy Chala (Fra) & Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (Tha) v Katarzyna Piter (Pol) & Romana Tabakova (Svk)
^"Romana won the title in Bournemouth!". Blogger. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2011. Romana won the tournament in Bournemouth. She did take her 2nd ITF title even as qualifier! In final match she won against 6th seed Lisa Whybourn (GBR) 6–1, 6–7(7), 7–6(7). It was a really long match (almost 4 hours) but in the end Romana was luckier. Romana said after the match: "We had to play outdoor, but because of rain we did play final match on hardcourt indoor. I did start match really well, I did lead 6–1, 5–2, but then I wasted chances and match continued in tiebreak, there I have had three match balls at 6–4 and 7–6, but unfortunately I lost second set. In third set I did start better again, I did lead 4–0 and also 5–3, but Whybourn again started to play better and hit some winners. In tiebreak, I again wasted another three matchpoints at 6–4 and 7–6. By last point at 8–7, I did come to the net and Lisa send the ball into the close out. I fell down and started to cry. I don't know if that was because of I have been really exhausted or because of enjoynment. I am very happy. I really appreciate this title, it helped to me mentally. I don't know yet where I will play next. But I will do my best, I don't want waste my chances as last season."
