[5] She is the 2016 WTA Finals champion, becoming the fourth player (after Serena Williams in 2001, Maria Sharapova in 2004 and Petra Kvitová in 2011) to win the tournament on her debut.

Her best finish of the year came in September, when she exited at the semifinal stage at the Guangzhou International Open in China where she lost to eventual champion Virginie Razzano.

Playing for Slovakia in the first round of Fed Cup against the Czech Republic in Brno, she split her two singles matches as her country lost the tie 2–3.

Cibulková was seeded 30th in singles at Wimbledon but lost in the first round to unseeded wildcard player and eventual semifinalist, Zheng Jie of China.

[14] At the Rogers Cup in Montreal, Cibulková defeated second-seeded Jelena Janković in the quarterfinals and Marion Bartoli in the semifinals, but lost the final to seventh-seeded Dinara Safina.

[15] At the French Open, she was seeded 20th and defeated Alona Bondarenko, Kirsten Flipkens, Gisela Dulko, and Ágnes Szávay to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

At the US Open, Cibulková advanced to her second career major quarterfinal, after defeating Stefanie Vögele, 2009 quarterfinalist Kateryna Bondarenko, Lourdes Domínguez Lino, and 11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.

[22] In the Fed Cup tie versus the Czech Republic, Cibulková played one rubber in which she was upset by Petra Kvitová.

[30] Cibulková began her clay-court season at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix where she lost in the first round to German wildcard Sabine Lisicki in two narrow sets.

[37] During the Fed Cup tie versus Serbia, Cibulková retired from her match against Vesna Dolonc due to a calf injury.

[48] Beginning her grass-court season as the second seed at the Rosmalen Championships, Cibulková reached the quarterfinal where she lost to qualifier Garbiñe Muguruza.

Seeded 11th at the Australian Open, Cibulková reached the quarterfinals by beating Kirsten Flipkens, Tsvetana Pironkova, Alizé Cornet, and Victoria Azarenka.

Cibulková underwent surgery for her left Achilles tendon in February and missed the North American hardcourt and all of the clay-court season.

[76] In Tokyo at the Pan Pacific Open, Cibulková reached the semifinal where she lost to seventh seed and eventual champion, Agnieszka Radwańska.

She reached the semifinals by beating Johanna Konta, Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell and qualifier Kiki Bertens.

At the rain-drenched French Open that year, in muddy and heavy conditions, she reached the third round before falling to Carla Suarez Navarro.

Nevertheless, this strong performance in the tournament, including having to play two matches on the same day at one point, saw her reach a career high of No.

[81] Cibulková won the Ladies Linz with a straight-sets victory over Viktorija Golubic, earning her third WTA Tour title of the year and seventh overall.

Seeded sixth at the French Open, Cibulková suffered a second-round upset at the hands of lucky loser Ons Jabeur.

[96] As the top seed at the Ricoh Open, her first grass-court tournament of the season, Cibulková suffered a shocking first-round upset at the hands of German qualifier Antonia Lottner.

[99] Seeded fourth and the defending champion at the Eastbourne International, Cibulková was defeated in the second round by British wildcard Heather Watson.

[105] Seeded eleventh at the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, the US Open, Cibulková lost in the second round to eventual champion Sloane Stephens.

[109] Cibulková withdrew from the Upper Austria Ladies Linz, the tournament she won last year, due to injury.

[112] At the St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, Cibulková lost in the second round to fourth seed, defending champion, and eventual finalist Kristina Mladenovic.

[115] Seeded 30th at the Indian Wells Open, Cibulková suffered a second-round upset at the hands of American wildcard Caroline Dolehide.

[133] Seeded thirty-second at the Indian Wells Open, Cibulková received a first-round bye; she lost in the second round to eventual champion Bianca Andreescu.

[135] During the Fed Cup tie versus Brazil, Cibulková won both of her rubbers beating Carolina Alves and Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Beginning her clay-court season at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Cibulková lost in the first round to qualifier Greet Minnen.

[141] In describing her style, he later suggested that "any player, from top pros to rank amateurs, can learn a thing or two from how Cibulková approaches the game," citing aggression, enthusiasm, and a quick pace between points.

[142] Self-described as a player with "a lot of energy",[5] Cibulková employed an aggressive style that was largely founded on speed and power.