Muguruza’s Wimbledon defence ends with a whimper
If Garbine Muguruza’s tennis was as fearsome as the death-stare she unleashed on Hawkeye, then she would be waking this morning in the knowledge that a second consecutive Wimbledon title was increasingly attainable.
Instead, that withering look at the big screen was as fierce as it got for the reigning champion. The line technology had judged a late serve out, by barely a millimetre, and Muguruza responded with wildness in her eyes and madness with her racket.
A few moments later, she had conceded a crucial break in the deciding set against Alison Van Uytvanck, the world No 47. It was a blow from which Muguruza never recovered, and this year’s remarkable list of early giantkillings suddenly had a new, late addition. After two rounds, just 17 seeds remain alive in the women’s draw. Of the top six seeds, Simona Halep is the only player still standing.
Muguruza is, arguably, the biggest scalp of all. A two-time grand slam champion and the world No 3, she has shown both the strength and grace to bulldozer opponents on the SW19 grass.
Here, she was left peeling herself up from the ground, floored by Van Uytvanck’s combination of power, variety and daring.
“If I let her play, I would lose,” Van Uytvanck said. “I was in the zone.”
As the match reached its conclusion, Muguruza grabbed her bag and dashed off court with barely a glance upwards. Her night was made worse still by the distance of her journey back to the changing rooms in SW19, for she had been marooned out on Court 2, the southernmost court at the All England Club.
Earlier, Novak Djokovic had embraced these unfamiliar surroundings. On his lengthy walk from Centre Court, he had soaked in the crowd’s praise, luxuriating in a rare opportunity to mingle with the selfie-seeking spectators. “It was special,” he said after his thrashing of Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos.
Muguruza’s approach had been more conservative. Her head bowed and eyes down, she marched solemnly towards the court, past the masses and straight into action.
Was it the right decision for the tournament organisers to plonk the defending champion on Court 2 and to make hers the last of five matches? It was only the eighth time since 2000 that the previous year’s winner had been dragged away from Centre Court or No 1 Court, and the first time it had happened since 2012. Unfair treatment? Perhaps. An excuse for her erratic performance? Not at all.
Asked about the scheduling, Muguruza initially responded with a cold but meaningful silence, as if she was mulling over what she could say.
“I was ready to play,” she eventually said. “That’s it. Nothing to say. There’s nothing I can do. That’s what they decided. I follow the schedule. Of course I wanted to play on bigger courts — it’s always my preference. But to say something now makes no sense. It’s just what it is. That’s it.”
Muguruza, who represents Spain but was born in Venezuela, had said before the tournament she feels like a “very Latin” person.
“I love that open personality,” she said. “The dancing, the screaming, a little bit more dramatic.”
At her best, this emotion is channelled towards those roaring serves and booming groundstrokes. At her worst, it overwrites her mind and saps her composure.
The final scoreline, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, demonstrates how dramatically Muguruza lost her way. But it also shows how Van Uytvanck gained in confidence as the evening sun began to dip. This was her first win over a top-10 player and she broke Muguruza’s formidable serve no fewer than five times in the second and third sets.
“Anyone on a good day can beat anyone,” said Van Uytvanck. “We do not have anything to lose.”
There will be time for the 24-yearold to celebrate and also time to prepare for her third-round meeting with
28th seed Anett Kontaveit. For now, though, the focus will be on Muguruza.
This was the second time that Muguruza had come into a grand slam as the defending champion, and the second time it had ended in chaos. At last year’s French Open, she had been reduced to tears by a “really tough” crowd, which had vociferously backed home favourite Kristina Mladenovic. Here, there was none of that. Just Muguruza’s own difficulties, and her inability to play the game the world knows she can.