By Erik Gudris | Thursday, May 29, 2014
Garbine Muguruza is having a breakthrough season so far that includes an upset win over Serena Williams in Paris. Learn more about this rising WTA star.
Photo Credit: Peter Staples
Garbine Muguruza got on the radar of many tennis fans after her surprising upset win over French Open defending champion Serena Williams. But this 20-year-old is already having her best season ever on the WTA tour. Find out more about this rising star.
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1. Vital Statistics: Muguruza was born on October 8th, 1993 in Caracas, Venezuela. She currently resides in Barcelona, Spain.
2. Early Years: Muguruza began playing tennis at the age of three in Venezuela where her mother is from. Her first tennis memory was playing versus her older brothers. With her father being from Spain, Muguruza began training in Barcelona where she quickly developed her game. In fact, Muguruza competed in very few junior events before transitioning into the pro tour.
3. Rapid Results: Muguruza made her first appearance in WTA qualifying in 2008 at Barcelona. She soon turned pro in 2011 and went on to win four ITF singles events in that year. Muguruza broke into the WTA top 100 in 2012. Last year, Muguruza missed the second half of the season due to an ankle injury.
4. Super Season: 2014 so far is a breakthrough season for the Spaniard. She won her maiden WTA title in Hobart back in January along with reaching the finals in Florianopolis. Currently ranked No. 35 in the world, she faced off against World No. 1 Serena Williams in the second round of Roland Garros where she upset the defending champion.
5. Idol Worship: The victory over Williams was extra sweet for Muguruza as Serena Williams was her favorite player to watch while growing up.
"I have been following her career for quite a while. As I said, she's been my favorite player since I was a kid. So when you watch someone play, you know exactly what you need to do to defeat her. But once you are there on the court, you need to do it, and today I did," Muguruza said after her win.
6. Encouraging Words: After her win, Serena shared some encouraging words with Muguruza "She said that if I continue playing like this, I can win the tournament. I said, I will try, I will try."
7. Favorite Things: Muguruza likes hard courts as her favorite surface. Her favorite shot is her forehand.
8. Dual Dilemma: Because of her heritage in both Spain and Venezuela, Muguruza says she will decide by the end of the year which one she will represent moving forward.
9. Off-Court: Muguruza enjoys cooking, reading and listening to music.
10. Social Savvy: Follow Muguruza on Twitter
(Sources: WTA & ITF)