Garbine Muguruza

Garbine Muguruza is a Spanish tennis player whose power game took the world by storm a few years ago.

Early in her career Muguruza defeated Serena Williams twice at Roland Garros, to cement her name in the record books forever. She has won a Grand Slam on both clay and grass, making her one of the few versatile players in the world today.

Best finish at each of the four Grand Slams:

Australian Open: Quarterfinalist (2017)

French Open: Champion (2016)

Wimbledon: Champion (2017)

US Open: 4th Round (2017)

Highest Ranking: No. 1

Style of play

Muguruza spends most of her time on the baseline, but she is far from a defensive player. She likes to take the ball early and hit it into the corners with pace, and always looks to finish points quickly.

Muguruza can hit her groundstrokes flat as well as with topspin, and depth of shot is an important feature of her game. She also uses her serve to set up a lot of points; she goes big on both the first serve and the second serve.

Muguruza doesn't come to the net too often, but hits swinging volleys whenever she has the chance.

Strengths and weaknesses

Muguruza's firepower from the baseline is her main weapon, and can make any opponent uncomfortable. While she can hit big off either wing, her backhand is undeniably her most significant asset; she can hit it with consistent power, and in any direction, no matter what the conditions.

Her forehand is considerably more temperamental, and can go off the rails when she's put under pressure. Muguruza's serve is similarly hot-and-cold; on some days it can be deadly and accurate, and on others it can produce a ton of double faults.

The Spaniard's movement is not her strong suit, but she can slide remarkably well on clay. She can also hit with margin when pushed to the back of the court, although her impatience can sometimes get the better of her.

Muguruza has been inconsistent throughout her career, and struggles to maintain her focus from one point to the next. Her unforced error count can seriously harm her, especially when she's facing less powerful opponents.

Personal life

Muguruza was born in Caracas, Venezuela, but moved to Spain at the age of six. Her father Jose Antonio Muguruza is Spanish and mother Scarlet Blanco is Venezuelan, and Garbine consequently has dual citizenship of both Venezuela and Spain.

She started playing tennis at the age of three, and underwent extensive coaching at the Bruguera Tennis Academy in Barcelona. She idolized Serena Williams while growing up, so it's no surprise that her game is just as explosive as the American's.

Muguruza has been coached by Sam Sumyk since 2015, and has won both of her Grand Slams under his tutelage. Her Wimbledon win over Venus Williams in 2017 was history-making, as she became the first player ever to defeat both the Williams sisters in a Grand Slam final - she had defeated Serena in the 2016 French Open final too.

Muguruza has been an up-and-down player for much of her career, but she has already achieved enough to find a place in tennis' Hall of Fame. She is still young, if she maintains her intensity she can do considerably more damage through the rest of her career.

Social media presence:

Garbine Muguruza Instagram: @garbimuguruza

Garbine Muguruza Twitter: @GarbiMuguruza