Garbine Muguruza announces retirement: I am ready to start a new chapter
Garbine Muguruza has confirmed that she has retired from the WTA Tour, with the former world No.1 now moving onto other sporting endeavours.
Muguruza last competed at the Lyon Open in January 2023, losing her sixth consecutive first round match.
Following this defeat, Muguruza announced that she would be taking a hiatus from tennis and the Spaniard revealed later that year that she had ‘no intention’ of returning.
Calling time on a stellar career ????
Former World No.1 @GarbiMuguruza announces her retirement from professional tennis, having locked in her status as one of the game’s greats.#GraciasGarbiñe pic.twitter.com/MTdpucSVA7
— wta (@WTA) April 20, 2024
This has been officially confirmed by the two-time Grand Slam champion in a press conference ahead of the Laureus Sports Awards, with Muguruza now an ambassador for the organisation.
In this press conference, Muguruza reflected on her career when speaking to the media, “If 25 years ago when I started hitting my first tennis balls someone had told me that I would become a professional tennis player, that I would fulfil my dream of winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon, that I would become number 1 in the world and win the WTA Finals… I would have thought this person was crazy.”
She continued, “Tennis has given me a lot in this first part of my life. It has been a fantastic journey in which I have experienced unique situations. I have travelled all over the world and experienced many different cultures.”
The 30-year-old became a professional tennis player back in 2012, and has won 10 titles in her career including Roland Garros (2016), Wimbledon (2017) and the WTA Finals (2021).
Following the 2017 US Open, Muguruza also climbed to the top of the WTA rankings and remained there for a total four weeks.
When continuing her retirement statement, Muguruza suggested that she would remain connected to tennis post-retirement, “I am tremendously grateful to all the people who have helped and accompanied me throughout this chapter because without them I would not have been able to get here.
“I have grown and matured in a very different way than what can be considered normal, and now I am ready to start a new chapter in my life, which will surely be linked in some way to tennis and sports. I hope that my collaboration with Laureus Sport for Good is the beginning of many more projects in which I can dedicate myself and help young people through sport.”
Inside the baseline…
It is a sad, but unsurprising announcement from Garbine Muguruza, who really did not seem to be enjoying her time on the WTA tour in the months prior to her hiatus. Although it is disappointing for fans of the Spaniard, it seems as though Muguruza is now content with her life and the decision to retire. Muguruza has a lot to be proud of in her career, including Grand Slam finals victories over both Williams’ sisters!
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