Famous Slovak Sportspersons

Marek Hamšík is a Slovak football player who has captained the Slovakia national team in important tournaments such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship. In 2018, Marek Hamšík became the most capped player for Slovakia and marked the occasion with his 22nd goal, becoming the second-highest goalscorer for his country.

Peter Sagan is a Slovak road bicycle racer. He is currently associated with Bora-Hansgrohe, a popular UCI WorldTeam. Widely regarded as one of cycling's greatest talents, Peter Sagan has won several prestigious championships over the course of his career. He has won UCI Road World Championships and European Championship among many other contests.

Marián Hossa is a Slovak retired ice hockey player best known for winning the prestigious Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, 2013, and 2015. Marián Hossa, who accumulated 525 goals during his illustrious career, was made an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.

Daniela Hantuchová is a Slovak retired tennis player. She achieved popularity in 2002 when she won the WTA Tour title for the first time in her career; she defeated Martina Hingis in the finals of the Indian Wells Masters, becoming the lowest-ranked player to win the tournament. Also an accomplished doubles player, Hantuchová completed the Career Grand Slam in 2005.

Rory Sabbatini is a South African-Slovak golfer who won a silver medal for Slovakia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He has also represented South Africa in several World Cups. Between 2000 and 2011, Sabbatini had six PGA Tour wins under his belt.

Dominika Cibulková is a Slovak retired tennis player who won eight WTA Tour singles titles during her playing career. In 2014, she became the first female player from her country to reach the final of a Grand Slam event when she reached the Australian Open finals where she lost to Li Na.

Lukáš Hrádecký is a Finnish football player who plays as a goalkeeper for the Finland national team and Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. Starting from 2016, Hrádecký was adjudged Finnish Footballer of the Year for three years in a row. In 2020, Lukáš Hrádecký helped his national team qualify for the UEFA European Championship for the first time.

Marián Vajda is a Slovak tennis coach and former player. He is best known as the former head coach of the current world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. Vajda helped Djokovic win 20 Grand Slams and is deemed the most successful coach of all time. The Olympic Committee of Serbia honored Vajda with the best coach award in 2010 and 2011. 

Anastasiya Kuzmina is a Russian-born Slovak retired biathlete best known for winning three Olympic gold and three silver medals, representing Slovakia. She also won a gold medal at the 2019 World Championships in Östersund, Sweden. Anastasiya Kuzmina also represented Russia and won a gold medal each at the 2003 Youth World Championships and 2005 Junior World Championships.

Galina Chistyakova is a former athlete best known for representing the Soviet Union in the Olympic Games, European Championships, World Indoor Championships, and European Indoor Championships, winning a bronze medal, one silver medal, one gold medal, and six medals, respectively. In 1988, Chistyakova reached 7.52 metres in the long jump, creating a new world record which she continues to hold.

Vladimír Weiss is a Slovak football player best known for his role as a winger for the Slovak national team. He has also represented several prestigious clubs and is currently playing for Slovan Bratislava. In 2011, Vladimír Weiss helped the Rangers win the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish League Cup.

Also known as Peter the Great, Peter Šťastný was one of the most prominent offensive players of the NHL. The Slovak-Canadian ice hockey player was second to Wayne Gretzky in terms of the highest scores in the 1980s. A 2-time world champion, he has also been a European parliament member for Slovakia.

Miloslav Mečíř is a Slovakian retired professional tennis player best known for winning the gold medal in the men's singles event at the 1988 Olympic Games, earning Czechoslovakia its first ever medal at the event. In the same Olympics, Mečíř and Šrejber shared the bronze medal with Sweden's Stefan Edberg and Anders Järryd as there was no bronze medal match.

Magdaléna Rybáriková is a Slovak former tennis player who won four WTA singles titles during her professional playing career that spanned 15 years. Magdaléna Rybáriková's best Grand Slam result came in 2017 when she reached the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships, becoming the first Slovak woman to do so; she lost to the eventual winner Garbiñe Muguruza.

Petra Vlhová is a Slovak alpine ski racer who won the gold medal at the 2019 World Championships in the Giant slalom event. She became the first Slovak skier to win the World Cup overall title in 2021 as well as the gold medal in the 2022 Olympics in China in the slalom event.

Attila Végh is a Slovak mixed martial artist best known for winning the Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship title in 2013 after defeating the inaugural Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M'Pumbu. Attila Végh, who has been competing since 2008, has also competed in the M-1 Global promotion.

Michal Martikán is a Slovak slalom canoeist best known for winning Slovakia's first Olympic gold medal in 1996 since its independence in 1993. Since then, he has won four more Olympic medals for his country. Michal Martikán has also won 15 gold medals at the World Championships and 15 gold medals at the European Championships.

Anna Karolína Schmiedlová is a Slovak professional tennis player who has won three singles WTA Tour titles in her career so far. She has also won the ITF Women's World Tennis Tour titles on 12 occasions. Anna Karolína Schmiedlová competes in both singles and doubles events in Grand Slams and other prestigious tournaments like the Billie Jean King Cup.  

Kyle Kuric is an American-Slovak basketball player and a multiple-time Spanish Cup champion with his present club, FC Barcelona, which competes in prestigious tournamens like the EuroLeague and the Liga ACB. He achieved prominence in 2010 when he led the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team to a win in the final game played at the Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.

Martin Kližan is a Slovak former tennis player who won six ATP titles during his professional career that spanned 14 years. Before turning pro in 2007, Martin Kližan won the French Open boys' singles title in 2006.

Viktória Kužmová is a Slovak tennis player who has won 14 singles and six doubles titles on the ITF Women's World Tennis Tour so far. She has also won three doubles titles at the WTA Tour. Viktória Kužmová first achieved prominence in 2015 when she won the girls' doubles event alongside Aleksandra Pospelova at the US Open.

Juraj Sagan is a Slovak road bicycle racer best known for winning the National Road Race Championships on four occasions. He currently competes for the popular UCI ProTeam Team, TotalEnergies. Juraj Sagan is also known as the younger brother of the famous World Road Race Champion, Peter Sagan.

Ondrej Nepela was a Slovak figure skater best remembered for representing Czechoslovakia at the Olympic Games and World Championships. He won a gold medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics and three gold medals, one each at the 1971, 1972, and 1973 World Championships. Ondrej Nepela also won five gold medals at the European Championships during his career.

Jarmila Wolfe is a Slovak-Australian retired tennis player who won 14 ITF Women's World Tennis Tour titles and two WTA Tour titles during her playing career. Jarmila Wolfe is perhaps best known for winning the 2013 mixed doubles title at the Australian Open alongside fellow Australian player Matthew Ebden.

Dominik Hrbatý is a Slovak former professional tennis player best known for his unique record of beating the Big Three in his first match against them, joining an elite list comprising only Nick Kyrgios, Lleyton Hewitt, and himself. Dominik Hrbatý is also known for winning the prestigious Hopman Cup in 2005 and 2009.

Kristína Kučová is a Slovak professional tennis player who has won 11 singles ITF Women's World Tennis Tour titles and one WTA Challenger title so far in her career. Kristína Kučová has also won five doubles titles on the ITF Circuit so far.

Ján Mucha is a Slovak retired professional football player best known for representing his country as a goalkeeper from 2008 to 2016. He played a major role in helping his national team qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2010 for the first time in history.

Norbert Gombos is a Slovak tennis player who plays for the men's national Davis Cup team. Gombos also competes on the ATP Challenger Tour and Grand Slam events. His best result so far in Grand Slam is reaching the third round at the French Open in 2020. Norbert Gombos is the current No. 2 singles player in Slovakia.

Ján Volko is a Slovak sprinter who has won a gold, silver, and bronze medals at the European Indoor Championships. Volko has also won a couple of silver medals at the European Games. Ján Volko's popularity increased in 2020 when he was chosen as the face of a game called Athletics Mania developed by PowerPlay Studio. 

Jana Cepelova is a Slovak tennis player who has been inactive since 2020. She is best known for winning seven singles and three doubles titles on the ITF Women's World Tennis Tour. Jana Čepelová was an outstanding junior player, earning silver and a bronze medal for Slovakia at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Jozef Kovalík is a Slovak tennis player who came into prominence in 2010 when he won the bronze medal in the doubles event at the Summer Youth Olympics alongside fellow Slovak player Filip Horanský. Since turning professional in 2010, Jozef Kovalík has been competing in many prestigious tournaments, winning the Capri Watch Cup in 2016.

Vladimir Brodziansky is a Slovak basketball player who currently plays for the Spanish basketball team, Club Joventut de Badalona. Brodziansky represented the TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball team at the collegiate level. He then signed with Obradoiro CAB before becoming an important member of Club Joventut Badalona. 

Veronika Velez-Zuzulova is a Slovak retired alpine ski racer. Velez-Zuzulová, who specialized in the slalom, is often counted among the most successful alpine skiers in Slovakia. Veronika Velez-Zuzulova is best known for winning a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships.

Slovak tennis player Tereza Mihalíková soared to fame as a world junior no. 4 and later reached a career-high singles ranking of 349. Her first Junior Grand Slam win was at the 2015 Australian Open. Though she was a talented swimmer initially, she later took up tennis inspired by her aunt.

Though Slovak tennis player Filip Polasek retired in 2013 due to ill health, he returned to tennis in 2018 and won his first Grand Slam in 2021. He has a career-high ranking of 7 in singles and has also become the first Grand Slam men’s singles or doubles champion from his country.

Karol Kučera is a Slovak retired professional tennis player who won six ATP singles titles during his playing career that spanned 13 years. Kučera is best known for reaching the semi-finals of the 1998 Australian Open. In the same year, he also won the prestigious Hopman Cup. Nicknamed the Little Cat, Kučera was known for his deceptive style of play. 

Matej Toth is a Slovak race walker best known for winning the gold medal in the men's 50 kilometres race walk event at the 2016 Olympic Games. He has also won a gold medal at the World Championships and a couple of silver medals at the European Championships. In 2016, Matej Toth was named Slovak Athlete of the Year.

Slovak tennis player Andrej Martin had a successful junior career, gaining the world number 8 rank. He also reached a career-high senior ranking of 93 in singles and was part of the 2016 Summer Olympics. He is now associated with charities such as Drahuskovo, a non-profit that works for autism-affected people.

Slovak-American figure skater Nicole Rajicova has not only been a Slovak national champion 6 times but has also participated in the Olympics twice and is a Merano Cup silver medalist. She is a finance graduate from Fordham University and is also fond of other sports such as swimming and skiing.

Slovak-German basketball player Anton Gavel had a flourishing career as a point guard and is best known for his association with Bayern Munich. The 6’2” sports star has also been a 5-time BBL champion. While he initially represented the Slovak national team, he later switched to the German national team.

Rebecca Šramková is a Slovak professional tennis player who has won 10 singles titles on the ITF Women's World Tennis Tour so far. She is best known for winning the 2016 Open de Biarritz, where she won against Martina Trevisan in the final.

Richard Petruska is a Slovak Italian former professional basketball player best known for winning the 1994 NBA championship title with the Houston Rockets. Petruska was also an important member of the Czechoslovakian national basketball team. Richard Petruska won the prestigious Slovak Player of the Year award on three occasions during his playing career.

Kristína Schmiedlová is a Slovak retired tennis player who won two singles titles on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Circuit before announcing her retirement at the age of 21. Kristína Schmiedlová is also known as the younger sister of Anna Karolína Schmiedlová.

Filip Horansky is a Slovak professional tennis player best known for winning the bronze medal in the boys' doubles event at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. He also won the boys' doubles event at the 2011 Australian Open. After turning professional in 2012, Filip Horansky has been competing in ATP Tours.

Slovak skater Olga Bestandigova is known for her 9 senior international medals, pairing up with her brother and fellow skater Jozef Beständig. The brother-sister duo also competed in the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics. She also briefly competed for Turkey with her boyfriend, German-Turkish skater İlhan Mansız.

Wang Yang is a Slovak professional table tennis player. Although he is of Chinese origin, Yang represented Slovakia at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro; he competed in the men's singles event and was eliminated by Quadri Aruna in the second round of the competition. 

Danka Bartekova is a Slovak skeet shooter who won the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. A nine-time European champion, Bartekova has also won seven bronze medals and two silver medals at the World Championships. In 2022, Danka Bartekova was chosen to serve as a member of the IOC for the next eight years.