Each Monday, LWOT will profile a champion from one of the previous week’s tournaments. This week’s profile is of Dubai Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza.
Garbiñe Muguruza has so far had a prolific career. At the age of 27, she has been ranked World #1 and won two Grand Slams (2016 French Open and 2017 Wimbledon). Muguruza has also reached two finals (2015 Wimbledon and 2020 Australian Open).
Garbiñe Muguruza Career Profile
Background
Garbiñe Muguruza was born in Caracas, Venezuela on the 8th of October in 1993. She moved to Spain with her family when she was six years old, where she began training at the Bruguera Tennis Academy near Barcelona. Muguruza currently lives in Geneva, Switzerland and has citizenship in both Spain and Venezuela.
Style of play
Power, athleticism and all-court prowess characterize Garbiñe Muguruza’s game. Muguruza can be inconsistent at times, due to poor shot selection and placement. But when she is playing at her peak, Muguruza has shown that she can match up with the best in the game.
Coach
Garbiñe Muguruza’s current coach is Conchita Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon Champion, who coached her to the 2017 Wimbledon title.
Loss of form in 2018-2019 and subsequent comeback in 2020
Lack of form and injuries plagued Muguruza in 2018 and 2019, where she finished the year outside the Top 20. But after climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at the end of 2019, the Spanish champion started the 2020 season in rejuvenated form, where she reached the final of the Australian Open. This was her first Grand Slam final since her 2017 victory at Wimbledon. Muguruza finished the year ranked in the top 15.
Form so far in 2021
So far in 2021, Garbiñe Muguruza has shown signs of form, making two finals (in Melbourne and Doha). Muguruza made the fourth round of the Australian Open. There, she had match points against eventual winner Naomi Osaka. Just this week, she capped off a solid start to the year by winning Dubai Open, where she defeated Barbora Krejčíková in straight sets for the championship. This was her first title in two years and eighth overall career title.
Outlook for 2021
Muruguza’s form so far in 2021 and previous successes on all surfaces, suggest that she will be a threat at this year’s major events. Muguruza is currently ranked at #16, but we at LWOT expect her to be in the Top 10 by the end of the year.
Main Photo from Getty.
