Spanish conquest Muguruza outshines star in final
AFTER a fruitless season in the wilderness, Garbine Muguruza has found the formula for what she hopes will become sustained grand slam success.
Feted as a future champion after her defeat by Serena Williams in the 2015 Wimbledon final, Muguruza confirmed the rating with French Open victory last season against the American.
But an ensuing barren 12 months since that Paris triumph saw the Spaniard’s stocks sliding.
And a 6-1, 6-0 shellacking at the hands of Barbora Strycova in Eastbourne a week before Wimbledon virtually condemned the baseliner to outsider status.
But on Saturday, as Muguruza became the first woman in history to beat both Williams sisters in a major final with an emphatic 7-5, 6-0 success against Venus, the narrative changed.
And Muguruza, who is reputedly more than a dab hand in the kitchen, claimed she had finally found the recipe for success.
“It is very hard to find, like, a recipe to feel good fitnesswise, tennistically (sic), mentally,” she said.
“I think in this tournament I put everything together, which is very hard.
“Normally, you’re tired, I feel pain here, my confidence is not there.
“So I felt this tournament I find somehow to put everything together and perform good at every level.”
GARBINE MUGURUZA
So much so that she became only the second Spanish woman after her current coach Conchita Martinez to win Wimbledon.
Having posed for photographs with compatriots King Juan Carlos, Antonio Banderas and Manolo Santana, Muguruza shed light on a bold, new mindset.
“When I knew I was playing Venus in the final, I was actually looking forward to it,” she said. “People were surprised when I said in French Open, that I had Serena in the (2016) final.
“A Wimbledon final with Serena and Venus ... she won five times, so she knows how to play.
“For me was a challenge to have her, growing up watching her play. But, in fact, is something incredible.
“I was so excited to go out there and win, especially over somebody like a role model.
“It’s great to go out there and play somebody that, you know, you admire.”
Muguruza will return to the top five today, having started the tournament at No.15.
And she believes that, whatever the next 12 months bring, she is better equipped to deal with the pressure of defending a major than she was at the French Open last month.
“Yeah, it’s not easy. It’s very good when you win it, and it’s hard after when you come back and you know you have to defend it,” she said.
“But that’s a good problem to have.”
I THINK IN THIS TOURNAMENT I PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER, WHICH IS VERY HARD.