In Shenzhen, Garbiñe Muguruza Rebuilds Momentum
The Spaniard shows hopeful glimpses of former glory
Not since the clay of Paris in May 2019 has two-time slam Champion Garbiñe Muguruza won three matches in a row. After a stellar run to win the French Open in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017, defeating a Williams sister in each final, the Spaniard has struggled to find her form.
Though ranked №1 at her best, Muguruza enters 2020 and the Shenzhen Open ranked №36 in the world. With new coach Conchita Martinez at her side, there are signs Muguruza may rebuild the game that brought her to the top of the sport.
The tournament started troublingly, as Chinese wild card and world №150 Wang Xinyu capitalized on a slow start by her opponent to steal a first set with some hard hitting tennis. Muguruza didn’t panic, coming back strong as the Chinese grew nervous, closing out the match 3–6 6–3 6–0.
A second round match-up against America’s Shelby Rogers was a little more straightforward — a dominant first set, followed by a closer fight in the second. Rogers was unable to push the match to a decider though, with Muguruza keeping a lid on things 6–1 7–6.
What most impresses is Muguruza’s quarter-final match up against Kazakhstan’s Zarina Diyas. Though hampered by abdominal pain, Diyas was able to push Muguruza around the court and extend the rallies long enough to question the Spaniard’s confidence. The results were mixed, and while Muguruza held her nerve for the first set, her form disappeared in the second.
It was starting to look as though Muguruza’s shakey 2019 was back to haunt her, but rather than get nervous, she pushed onwards. Her powerful forehand helped her break to start the third, and then four aces sealed an immediate service hold. It looked as though she may dominate, but Diyas had other ideas — fighting back to break at 3–4 and even up the match.
As champions do, Muguruza elevated and immediately regained her break lead. From there, a final service hold to complete the win flowed fiercely from the Spaniard’s racquet. She won the match 6–4 2–6 6–4.
Muguruza hit 13 aces on the road to victory in her quarter-final, and moves up to №33 in the live rankings — tantalisingly close to a seeded spot in Melbourne.
Throughout her career, Muguruza has shown inconsistent results. In 2020, she needs to build some confidence from the outset. The signs are good thus far, and the shots are clearly all still there — time will tell if she can maintain her form and return to her finest game.
Read more:
