Muguruza merciless as she marches into final
Magdalena Rybarikova emerged blinking into the bright lights of Centre Court for her first grandslam semi-final of a 13-year career. The rabbit in the headlights was duly flattened by a Spanish steamroller named Garbine Muguruza in 65 chastening minutes.
The Slovakian possessed all the ingredients for the perfect underdog story. At the start of the year, the 28-year-old had considered retirement after undergoing surgeries on her wrist and knee. By March, her world ranking was 453. At Wimbledon, she had suffered seven consecutive first-round exits before embarking on this run to the last four, which included defeating the new world No 1 Karolina Pliskova.
Yet as much as the sporting public adore a fairy tale, the law of averages has a habit of dispensing vengeance against those who defy probability for too long. With her sweet smile and mild manners, Muguruza makes for an unlikely looking agent of retribution. Put her behind a net, however, and the 23-year-old is transformed into a ravenous tiger stalking its prey.
Rybarikova, the world No87, was overawed and overwhelmed. At every opportunity, Muguruza was on the offensive, using her blistering backhand like a crowbar to prise apart Rybarikova’s confidence. The pressure was unrelenting, the aggression constant. It felt like a significant achievement that Rybarikova broke the hour barrier in her 6-1, 6-1 defeat.
“I don’t remember when I played against someone who is playing that well right now,” Rybarikova said. “I didn’t know how to handle it. Obviously, I was a bit nervous in the beginning. But then she stood up and she was playing very fast. I could not do almost anything.”
Five-time champion Venus Williams will not be such a compliant opponent in the final tomorrow. Nor will Muguruza be as wide-eyed as she was two years ago when she lost in the final in straight sets to Serena Williams. Having won the French Open last year, Muguruza is no longer content to be the supporting cast in a narrative that will be dominated by the elder Williams. “I feel much more calm, kind of controlling more my emotions than the last time,” Muguruza said.
Muguruza tried to be kind when asked if it was the easiest victory of her career in a grand-slam, but she was under no illusions about the step up in class that awaits her.
“All the great champions have won here,” Muguruza said. “I always stare at the wall where all the names are of the previous winners. You see a lot of Williams surname. So I look forward to just put a Spanish name back there.”
65 Minutes on court.
33 Points won by Rybarikova. Muguruza won 60.
22 Winners for Muguruza. Rybarikova had eight.