Lucie Šafářová

Lucie Šafářová is a former Czech professional tennis player who reached the top of the sport in doubles and near the top in singles. She held the World No. 1 doubles ranking for six weeks in 2017 and peaked at No. 5 in singles in September 2015. Her partnership with American Bethanie Mattek-Sands produced five Grand Slam doubles titles, making them one of the most feared teams of their era.

Known for her powerful left-handed forehand and sharp net play, Šafářová won seven WTA singles titles and fifteen doubles titles over a career that spanned from 2002 to 2018. Her most memorable singles moment came at the 2015 French Open, where she reached the final and pushed Serena Williams to three sets before falling short. That same year she claimed the Qatar Open, her biggest singles trophy.

Since retiring from full-time competition in 2018, Šafářová has focused on family life with her husband, former NHL player Tomáš Plekanec, and their two children. She has made occasional appearances on the ITF and WTA circuits for charity and special events, reminding fans of the grit and elegance she brought to the court. [edit]

Born in Brno, then part of Czechoslovakia, Lucie Šafářová grew up in a tennis family. Her father, Karel Šafář, coached the game and introduced her to the sport at a young age. She trained at the TK Lokomotiva Brno club, where her left-handed serve and aggressive baseline game began to take shape. As a junior, she competed across Europe, and in 2003 she won the Junior Wimbledon singles title, defeating Agnieszka Radwańska in the final. That victory put her on the international map and convinced her to turn professional in 2002, a year before that Wimbledon triumph.

Šafářová's early professional years were spent grinding on the ITF Circuit, where she won several titles and learned the demands of tour life. Her first WTA final came in 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, and she made her Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Games. By 2009 she had won her first WTA singles title in Linz, and her steady climb up the rankings reflected a player who was building a solid all-court foundation rather than relying on any single weapon.

She did not attend university, instead dedicating her teenage years to training and travel. Her father remained her primary coach through her junior and early professional career, and their partnership was central to her development. The discipline and work ethic she absorbed in those early years stayed with her throughout her two decades on tour. [edit]

Šafářová's breakthrough year came in 2015. She won the Qatar Open in February, her first singles title since 2013, and then stormed to the French Open final in June, where she took a set off Serena Williams before losing in three. That run lifted her to a career-high singles ranking of World No. 5. In doubles, she and Bethanie Mattek-Sands captured the Australian Open and French Open titles that year, beginning a partnership that would dominate the discipline.

The duo added the US Open in 2016 and then swept the Australian Open and French Open again in 2017. That made them the first team since the Williams sisters to win four consecutive Grand Slam doubles titles. Šafářová reached the WTA Finals doubles championship match in 2016 and held the World No. 1 doubles ranking for six weeks starting in August 2017.

Physical issues mounted after that, and she retired from full-time touring in the summer of 2018. But she wasn't quite done. In 2023 she came out of retirement for a single ITF W25 event in Reims, France, and won it, though she made clear she had no plans for a full comeback. In 2024 she made a surprise appearance at a WTA 250 tournament in Prague, delighting home fans and confirming that her love for the game never really faded. [edit]

In the media, Šafářová is remembered as a resilient and classy competitor who never stopped fighting for points. Her left-handed forehand and sharp volleys made her a natural doubles player, and her partnership with Mattek-Sands was marked by an almost telepathic understanding on court. Fans appreciated her sportsmanship and her ability to rise to the occasion in big matches, especially at the Grand Slams. Off court, she projected warmth and humility, often crediting her team and family for her success. There is no official fandom name, but Czech fans hold her in high regard as a national hero who brought multiple Fed Cup titles to the country. [edit]

Lucie Šafářová commands a steady stream of global attention that spans decades of athletic achievement and enduring regional respect. Her standing in the public consciousness is quantified by her position within the iFANN Global Fame Rankings, which track influence across media coverage, search trends, and consumption signals worldwide. Based on data from August 2026, she is the 33rd most famous person in Czechia, holding this placement steady from the previous cycle. Furthermore, she ranks as the 49th most famous person from Czechia, maintaining her status among the nation's most recognizable figures without fluctuation. These metrics reflect a career defined by historic doubles success and a singular legacy as the first Czech woman to reach World No. 1 in that discipline. While her fame is concentrated in tennis circles and her homeland, it remains consistent enough to sustain high visibility long after retirement. The fanbase surrounding her does not operate under a formal name; rather, it consists of tennis enthusiasts in the Czech Republic and international followers who engage through standard social channels. There are no documented rituals, fan-funded projects, or organized campaigns specific to her support base beyond general appreciation for her sportsmanship and maternal persona.[edit]

Šafářová holds the distinction of being the only Czech woman to achieve the World No. 1 doubles ranking, a milestone reached in August 2017. She and Bethanie Mattek-Sands remain the sole team to secure four different Grand Slam doubles titles within a non-calendar-year span from 2015 through 2017. Off the court, she is known as a devoted coffee enthusiast who frequently shares details of her morning routine on Instagram. Fluent in English and German alongside her native Czech, she was coached by her father, Karel, during her junior and early professional years. The affectionate nickname 'Auntie Lucie' persists among fans and younger players in the Czech Republic following her entry into motherhood. A central pillar of her legend involves her partnership with Mattek-Sands, which produced five Grand Slam doubles titles and cemented their status as one of the most formidable teams in history. Their victory at the 2015 French Open marked the beginning of this era, followed by further triumphs including the 2017 title. Another widely retold chapter of her career is her run to the 2015 French Open singles final, where she pushed the champion to three sets before falling short. This performance remains her most memorable singles moment, highlighting her resilience and ability to compete at the highest level despite her primary focus on doubles.[edit]

Šafářová married Tomáš Plekanec, a retired Czech ice hockey player who spent over a decade in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, in 2014. The couple met through mutual friends in the Czech sports community and have built a stable family life away from the tour spotlight. They have two children: daughter Vendula, born in 2015, and son Jan, born in 2017. The family splits time between the Czech Republic and other European locations, and Šafářová often shares glimpses of their life on Instagram. Her father, Karel Šafář, was her first coach and remained a key figure throughout her career, while her mother has stayed out of the public eye. [edit]

Šafářová is most closely associated with her doubles partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands, with whom she won five Grand Slam titles. The pair's chemistry and success made them one of the defining teams of the 2010s. She also had notable rivalries with many top singles players, including Serena Williams, whom she faced in the 2015 French Open final. In the Czech sports world, she is linked with her husband, hockey player Tomáš Plekanec, and with fellow Czech tennis stars like Petra Kvitová and Karolína Plíšková. [edit]

Šafářová has been married to Czech ice hockey player Tomáš Plekanec since 2014. The couple met through mutual friends in the Czech sports community and tied the knot in a private ceremony. They have two children, daughter Vendula (born 2015) and son Jan (born 2017). Prior to her marriage, Šafářová kept her personal life largely private, and no widely documented romantic relationships are confirmed by credible sources. As of 2026, she remains married to Plekanec, and there are no reports of separation or divorce. [edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Lucie Šafářová's net worth stands at $5 Million as of 2026. Her professional career generated over $10 million in prize money prior to taxes and fees, supported by significant endorsement agreements with Adidas, Wilson, and Rolex during her peak years. Since retiring in 2018, her income streams have diversified to include coaching clinics, involvement with tennis academies, and appearances in media commentary roles. She maintains property holdings in Brno and potentially other European locations, though specific real estate details remain private. Occasional participation in exhibition matches and ITF events contributes minor additional revenue, but the bulk of her post-retirement financial standing derives from business ventures and public appearances tied directly to her reputation as a former world-class athlete.[edit]

Šafářová won five Grand Slam doubles titles, all with Bethanie Mattek-Sands: the Australian Open (2015, 2017), French Open (2015, 2017), and US Open (2016). She also captured seven WTA singles titles and fifteen WTA doubles titles. Her most significant singles achievement was reaching the 2015 French Open final, where she finished as runner-up to Serena Williams. She was a key member of the Czech Fed Cup team that won multiple titles. [edit]