Muguruza poised to rule after French Open title

PARIS: Considering she won her maiden grand slam title on the surface that suits her game the least, Garbine Muguruza is being tipped as the player who will end up ruling women's tennis.

The 22-year-old Spaniard claimed the French Open by defeating Serena Williams in straight sets on Saturday, 11 months after losing the Wimbledon final to the world number one.

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On Monday, Muguruza, whose hard-hitting game is at its devastating best on fast courts, will be second in the WTA rankings going into the grass season.

"She's number two after this, only one more step to be number one and I am sure she's going to win many more grand slams," former Spanish player Conchita Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon champion and 2000 Roland Garros runner-up, told reporters.

"She's a great player on any surface, she is a complete player. Spain is very lucky to have this unbelievable tennis player."

Williams, who was aiming to equal Steffi Graf's professional-era record of 22 majors, was the favourite to win her third Paris title in four years but she fell one win short of the target just as she had done at the Australian Open in January.

Her coach, however, warned that the 34-year-old Williams would stay on Muguruza's radar for quite some time.

"It shows how hard it is to win a grand slam, to equal records. It will take the time it will take, it was tough to win the 17th, the 18th, it will be hard to win the 22nd and the 23rd but we will do it," Patrick Mouratoglou told reporters.

"It's a matter of time."

 

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