Kristina Mladenovic Bio
Kristina Mladenovic, widely known by her nickname Kiki, is a French professional tennis player born on 14 May 1993 in Saint-Pol-sur-Mer, in the Nord department of France. A former world No. 1 in doubles and a top-10 singles player, she has built her career on a versatile all-court game and a strong record in team events. Mladenovic is a nine-time Grand Slam champion across women’s and mixed doubles and has represented France in the Billie Jean King Cup, including the 2019 title-winning squad.
Early Life and Background
Kristina Mladenovic was born in Saint-Pol-sur-Mer to a sporting family with deep roots in European athletics. Her father, Dragan Mladenović, is a former Yugoslav handball player of Serbian origin, while her mother, Dženita Helić, is a former Serbian volleyball player. The family moved to France in 1992 when Dragan signed with Dunkerque HGL, and all members of the family later became French citizens. Mladenovic has a brother named Luka.
Growing up in a household shaped by professional sport, Mladenovic was introduced to tennis at a young age and quickly developed a passion for competition. Her tall frame and natural athleticism became defining traits, eventually contributing to her listed height of 1.84 m (6 ft 1/2 in). She began playing in junior tournaments in May 2006, and by 2007 she had become the European Under-14 singles champion.
Path to Professional Tennis
Mladenovic’s most significant junior achievement came at the 2009 French Open girls’ singles, where she defeated Daria Gavrilova in the final to claim the title. She also reached both the girls’ singles and doubles finals at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships. On 8 June 2009, she achieved the world No. 1 junior ranking, confirming her status as one of the top young prospects in the sport.
She began competing on the ITF Women’s Circuit in September 2007 and made her WTA Tour main-draw debut after winning her first match at the Internationaux de Strasbourg. In 2009, she turned professional and received a wildcard into the Australian Open, where she was defeated in the first round by 14th seed Patty Schnyder. Her early professional years included steady progress on the ITF circuit, highlighted by her first senior title at a $25k tournament in Sutton in 2011.
Kristina Mladenovic Career
Early Career (2009-2012)
During her early professional years, Mladenovic worked to transition from promising junior to consistent WTA Tour competitor. She qualified for her first WTA event in Prague in 2009 and continued to build experience across European and Asian ITF events. By 2011, she had added two $25k titles in Sutton and Stockholm to her résumé, demonstrating her growing confidence on the professional circuit.
In 2012, Mladenovic linked up with coach Biljana Veselinovic at the start of the year before later working with Thierry Ascione. She claimed her first WTA Tour title of any kind at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, winning the doubles event with Klaudia Jans-Ignacik. She also won the first-ever WTA 125 event, the Taipei Ladies Open, and entered the WTA top 100 for the first time following a semifinal appearance at the Bell Classic in Québec.
Breakthrough in Mixed Doubles (2013-2014)
Mladenovic’s first Grand Slam title came at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, where she partnered with Daniel Nestor to win the mixed doubles crown. Earlier that year, she had reached the mixed doubles final at the French Open with Nestor. Her success in mixed doubles signaled her growing comfort at the net and her tactical awareness in team competition.
In 2014, Mladenovic and Nestor added the Australian Open mixed doubles title, giving her a second Grand Slam championship. She also produced her first top-5 singles win that year, upsetting world No. 2 Li Na in the first round of the French Open. Partnering with Tímea Babos, she reached her first Grand Slam women’s doubles final at Wimbledon, finishing as runner-up to Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci.
Singles Rise and French Open Doubles Title (2015-2016)
In 2015, Mladenovic reached her first Grand Slam singles quarterfinal at the US Open, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ekaterina Makarova before losing to Roberta Vinci. That run pushed her into the WTA’s top 30 for the first time. She also reached her first WTA Tour singles final at the Strasbourg International, where she finished as runner-up to Samantha Stosur.
The 2016 season was transformative. Mladenovic won her first Grand Slam women’s doubles title at the French Open with Caroline Garcia, becoming the first all-French pair to win the Roland Garros women’s doubles title since Gail Chanfreau and Françoise Dürr in 1971. She also reached the final of the US Open women’s doubles and qualified for the WTA Finals with Garcia. The pair was named the doubles ITF World Champions of 2016, and Mladenovic ended the year ranked No. 42 in singles and No. 2 in doubles.
First WTA Singles Title and Top-10 Debut (2017-2018)
Mladenovic began 2017 by winning the Hopman Cup with Richard Gasquet, helping France claim the title. In February, she captured her first WTA Tour singles title at the St. Petersburg Ladies’ Trophy, defeating Yulia Putintseva in the final and becoming the first French woman to win a WTA Premier singles title since Marion Bartoli in 2011. She reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 10 on 23 October 2017, entering the top 10 for the first time in her career.
In 2018, Mladenovic won the Australian Open women’s doubles title with Tímea Babos, her second Grand Slam women’s doubles crown. However, her singles form faltered in the second half of the year. Despite a difficult singles season, she maintained a strong doubles record and won titles in Birmingham with Babos, reinforcing her reputation as one of the tour’s leading doubles players.
Doubles Dominance and World No. 1 Ranking (2019-2020)
Mladenovic reached the world No. 1 doubles ranking in June 2019 after she and Babos made the final of the French Open, where they defeated Duan Yingying and Zheng Saisai to win their third Grand Slam doubles title. She held the top doubles ranking for a total of 12 weeks. She also played a decisive role in France’s 2019 Fed Cup victory, winning all three of her rubbers in the final against Australia, including a win over world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty.
In 2020, Mladenovic and Babos added two more Grand Slam doubles titles, winning the Australian Open and defending their French Open crown. She also won the 2018 and 2019 WTA Finals with Garcia and reached four WTA 1000 doubles titles across her career. By the end of this period, she had established herself as one of the most accomplished doubles players of her generation.
Continued Success and Late-Career Form (2021-2024)
Mladenovic ended her 2021 season in early October citing physical and mental struggles but returned strongly in 2022. Partnering Ivan Dodig, she won the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open, becoming a Grand Slam champion in mixed doubles for the third time. At the French Open, she won her fourth Roland Garros doubles title with Caroline Garcia, defeating Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff in the final. She added her 28th career doubles title at the 2022 Jasmin Open with Kateřina Siniaková.
From 2023 to 2024, Mladenovic received wildcards for the singles main draw at the French Open but focused primarily on doubles. Partnering Zhang Shuai, she reached the women’s doubles final at the 2024 US Open, finishing as runner-up. She also won the doubles title at the 2024 WTA 125 Cali Open with Veronika Erjavec, underlining her continued competitiveness on the doubles circuit.
Driving Style and Strengths
While Mladenovic is not a racing driver, her tennis style is defined by an all-court approach that combines baseline play with frequent net approaches. Her forehand is her strongest wing, capable of producing both flat and topspin winners, while her two-handed backhand is consistent and effective. She possesses a powerful serve, with her first serve peaking at 116 mph, although her second serve is comparatively weaker. Her doubles success has helped her develop a confident net game featuring volleys, backhand slices, and drop shots.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Mladenovic’s signature career moments are her nine Grand Slam titles, her rise to world No. 1 in doubles, and her 2019 Fed Cup triumph with France. She also holds a career-high singles ranking of world No. 10, achieved in October 2017. Her win over Ashleigh Barty in the 2019 Fed Cup final stands out as one of the most dramatic performances of her career, and her 28 career doubles titles cement her status among the most successful French doubles players in history.
Kristina Mladenovic Career Wins
Kristina Mladenovic has compiled an impressive list of titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles throughout her professional career. She has won one WTA Tour singles title and 28 career doubles titles, including four Grand Slam women’s doubles crowns, three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, and the WTA Finals in 2018 and 2019. Her versatility across surfaces and formats has been a hallmark of her longevity on tour.
Grand Slam Highlights
Mladenovic’s Grand Slam titles include the 2016 and 2022 French Open women’s doubles with Caroline Garcia, the 2018 Australian Open and 2019 and 2020 French Opens and 2020 Australian Open with Tímea Babos, and mixed doubles wins at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships and 2014 Australian Open with Daniel Nestor, plus the 2022 Australian Open with Ivan Dodig. She has also reached six additional Grand Slam finals, including the 2014 Wimbledon women’s doubles final and the 2016 US Open women’s doubles final. Her best singles Grand Slam results are quarterfinal appearances at the 2015 US Open and the 2017 French Open.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the Grand Slams, Mladenovic has captured four WTA 1000 doubles titles and the 2018 and 2019 WTA Finals. She reached her first WTA Tour singles final at the 2015 Strasbourg International and was named the WTA Breakthrough Player of the Month in February 2017 following her strong run in St. Petersburg. In team competition, she played a central role in France’s 2019 Fed Cup title and competed at the Olympic Games in 2012, 2016, and 2020.
Kristina Mladenovic Family
Family Background and Tennis Lineage
Kristina Mladenovic comes from a deeply athletic family. Her father, Dragan Mladenović, is a former Yugoslav handball player of Serbian origin, while her mother, Dženita Helić, is a former Serbian volleyball player. Both parents moved to France in 1992, where Dragan signed with the handball club Dunkerque HGL, and the family later took French citizenship. Her brother, Luka, is also part of the Mladenovic household, which has been shaped by professional sport at every level.
Personal Life
Currently based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Mladenovic is known by the nickname Kiki. She is sponsored by Adidas for clothing and Wilson for rackets, specifically endorsing the Wilson Ultra range. From mid-2017 until November 2019, she was in a relationship with Austrian tennis player Dominic Thiem. Mladenovic has kept much of her personal life private beyond what is publicly known.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Kristina Mladenovic continues to focus on the doubles circuit, where she has built the most consistent results of her career. While her singles ranking has fallen outside the top 250 in recent years, she remains a dangerous opponent in women’s doubles. Her late-career results, including the 2024 US Open doubles final with Zhang Shuai and the WTA 125 Cali Open title, suggest she can still compete at the highest levels of doubles competition.
Throughout the 2025 season, Mladenovic is expected to enter several WTA Tour doubles events with various partners, including possible appearances at the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open. Her experience and tactical awareness make her a strong pairing option for top-ranked singles players looking for a doubles partner. Given her nine Grand Slam titles, she remains a serious contender in any doubles draw she enters.
With her long-standing partnerships, including those with Caroline Garcia and Tímea Babos, Mladenovic has the tools to compete for major titles in 2025. Her all-court game, powerful serve, and net skills continue to translate well to the doubles format. While her singles career has slowed, her doubles résumé and tactical intelligence keep her in the conversation for titles throughout the season.