Garbiñe Muguruza: Year-End World No.3

Garbiñe Muguruza: Year-End World No.3

  • Posted: Nov 16, 2015

BARCELONA, Spain – After an absolute breakthrough year, WTA Rising Star Garbiñe Muguruza is No.3 on this week’s year-end rankings – the first time a Spaniard has finished Top 3 since 1996.

She had some big results in the first half of the year – semifinals of Dubai, quarterfinals of the French Open – but it was in the second half of the year where Muguruza truly hit her stride, going all the way to her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, where she fell to Serena Williams, and then putting together a fantastic fall season highlighted by the finals of Wuhan and her biggest career title in Beijing.

When last year’s WTA Finals points fell off Muguruza hit a career-high No.3, and after a semifinal showing at the WTA’s crown jewel event she solidified that spot on the year-end WTA Rankings.

So how does Muguruza herself look back at what has been a rocket-like rise?

“For sure it has been an incredible rise, but I think you always have to have in your mind that you can make good tournaments and achieve great things, otherwise it’s not going to happen,” she said.

“You always have to have what you want to do in your mind, and always have important objectives in your mind, to be motivated. And for me it’s just great to be in that kind of position right now.”

Muguruza’s the first Spaniard to be in the Top 3 on the WTA Rankings in more than 15 years – the last time a Spaniard was in the Top 3 was on May 21, 2000 (Conchita Martínez). And it’s been even longer since a Spaniard has finished a season in the Top 3 – that was 1996 (Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario).

This has been one of the quickest rises in years, too. Muguruza finished at a then-career-high No.21 on the 2014 year-end rankings – the last time a player who had never finished in the Top 20 finished all the way up in the Top 3 the next year was 2011 (now-two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova).

What improved so rapidly in Muguruza’s game this year?

“I’ve learned that I’m able to calm down in bad situations, clear my mind and start from zero. I’ve learned that I’m strong in these tough moments,” the Spaniard said. “Hopefully this year is great experience for me. Hopefully the tough moments I’ve lived through this year will help me next year.

“And all of the matches and emotions on the court, it’s not going to be new for me next year.”

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