Even though there were moments during her hiatus when Garbine Muguruza hinted at a possible return to tennis, in October of last year, she explicitly stated that the sport no longer had a place in her routine. While many fans had hoped for her comeback, it comes as no surprise that the Spaniard has now officially announced her retirement.
At the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, the 30-year-old Muguruza bid farewell to her illustrious career. “The time has come to say goodbye. It’s been a long and successful career, but I feel the time is right to retire,” expressed the two-time Grand Slam champion.
The Venezuela-born player turned professional in 2012 and quickly made her mark on the tennis world. She clinched her first Grand Slam title at the 2016 French Open, where she defeated Serena Williams in a memorable final. The following year, Muguruza continued her success by triumphing at Wimbledon, overcoming Venus Williams in the final and ascending to the number one ranking in the world.
The last time Muguruza graced the court was at the WTA 250 event in Lyon in January 2022, where she suffered a first-round defeat to qualifier Linda Noskova. Following her sixth consecutive loss dating back to September 2022, Muguruza announced her hiatus from tennis in order to enjoy her private life. In May 2023, she made headlines by getting engaged to her long-term partner, Arthur Borges.
In October 2023 she declared, “Tennis has no place in my routine. I still pay attention to my teammates, from time to time I can play but not intensely, more for fun. It doesn’t occupy my mind, my day or my routines, I’m really taking a real break and trying to stay away from the court.”
