Whole new ball game - Cibulkova smells tennis success

pulse

February 15, 2017 7:51 PM

Although she has spoken about her habit in the past, the Slovakian revealed that she had a favourite ball to sniff.

Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia smells a ball as she plays against to Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine during their 2016 US Open Women's Singles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 2, 2016

World number five Dominika Cibulkova brought some much-needed fun to a sodden Qatar Open on Wednesday giving details of her strange ritual of sniffing tennis balls before serving.

Although she has spoken about her habit in the past, the Slovakian revealed that she had a favourite ball to sniff -- the Wilson US Open.

"It was something I was doing since I was little girl," she told reporters after her three-set victory against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

The 27-year-old won in three sets, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2

"It became some kind of a habit, a ritual I do," she smilingly added.

"There is nothing more about it, it's just part of me, part of my game, part of what I do on the court."

Asked if the balls smelled good, she replied: "Wilson is fine. Wilson US Open is a good one."

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