# Garbiñe Muguruza

**Garbiñe Muguruza Blanco** (born 1993) is a Spanish-Venezuelan former professional tennis player who won two [Grand Slam](https://www.edgepedia.org/grand-slam-tennis) singles titles, at Roland Garros 2016 and Wimbledon 2017, and rose to world No. 1 on 11 September 2017 as the 24th woman to hold the top ranking.<sup>[1](https://wtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/publications/2023MediaGuide/2023MG_PlayerProfiles.pdf)</sup> She announced her retirement from professional tennis on 20 April 2024, at age 30, after more than a year away from the tour.<sup>[2](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2024-04-20/former_world_no_1_garbie_muguruza_announces_retirement_from_tennis.html)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993 in Venezuela; moved to Barcelona at age six<sup>[1](https://wtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/publications/2023MediaGuide/2023MG_PlayerProfiles.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500116899_194803.html)</sup> |
| Grand Slam titles | Roland Garros 2016 (d. Serena Williams 7-5, 6-4); Wimbledon 2017 (d. Venus Williams 7-5, 6-0)<sup>[4](https://www.europapress.es/deportes/tenis-00166/noticia-garbine-muguruza-anuncia-retirada-tenis-30-anos-20240420162753.html)</sup> |
| World No. 1 | 11 September 2017; 24th woman to hold the top spot and the second from Spain, after Sánchez Vicario in 1995<sup>[1](https://wtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/publications/2023MediaGuide/2023MG_PlayerProfiles.pdf)</sup> |
| Career record | 449 wins, 238 losses (.654); 10 WTA singles titles; prize money $24,813,892; height 1.82 m<sup>[5](https://www.wtatennis.com/legends/316239/garbine-muguruza/record)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2024-04-20/former_world_no_1_garbie_muguruza_announces_retirement_from_tennis.html)</sup> |
| Other finals | Runner-up at 2015 Wimbledon and the 2020 Australian Open; champion of the 2021 WTA Finals<sup>[4](https://www.europapress.es/deportes/tenis-00166/noticia-garbine-muguruza-anuncia-retirada-tenis-30-anos-20240420162753.html)</sup> |
| Retirement | Announced 20 April 2024 in Madrid, having last played in January 2023<sup>[2](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2024-04-20/former_world_no_1_garbie_muguruza_announces_retirement_from_tennis.html)</sup> |
| Post-playing roles | Laureus ambassador; tournament director of the WTA Finals in Riyadh; co-director of the Madrid Open with Feliciano López<sup>[6](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/garbine-muguruza-announces-retirement-from-tennis-at-age-30)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://as.com/tenis/masters_1000/garbine-muguruza-los-tenistas-no-estamos-preparados-para-la-retirada-f202512-n/)</sup> |

## Early life and background

Muguruza was born in Venezuela in 1993 to José Antonio Muguruza, a Spaniard from Eibar in the Basque province of Guipúzcoa who had moved to Venezuela and built a business in metal parts, and Scarlet Blanco, a Venezuelan.<sup>[3](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500116899_194803.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://media.diarioversionfinal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/d2596.pdf)</sup> Spanish-language sources give her birthplace as Caracas or as Guatire in Miranda state.<sup>[3](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500116899_194803.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://media.diarioversionfinal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/d2596.pdf)</sup> She began playing tennis at age four in Caracas with her brothers, and the family moved to Barcelona when she was six.<sup>[9](https://as.com/tenis/2015/07/11/wimbledon/1436565985_459512.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500116899_194803.html)</sup> She trained at the Bruguera academy until 16 and later worked with coach Alejo Mancisidor, with whom she reached the 2015 Wimbledon final; in December 2015 she changed coaches to Sam Sumyk.<sup>[3](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500116899_194803.html)</sup>

She held dual Spanish and Venezuelan nationality and chose in October 2014 to represent Spain in official competition.<sup>[3](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500116899_194803.html)</sup> [Conchita Martínez](https://www.edgepedia.org/conchita-martinez), the former Spanish captain, was described as decisive in that choice and later joined Muguruza's team as a coach.<sup>[3](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500116899_194803.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500146475_565085.html)</sup>

## Career

**Breakthrough, 2012-2014.** Muguruza made her WTA main-draw debut at the 2012 Miami Open on a wild card and reached the fourth round, beating [Vera Zvonareva](https://www.edgepedia.org/vera-zvonareva) and [Flavia Pennetta](https://www.edgepedia.org/flavia-pennetta) along the way.<sup>[11](https://biyografi.bio/es/garbine-muguruza-blanco/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[12](https://wikimundo.org/garbine-muguruza/)</sup> An ankle fracture cut short her 2013 season after Wimbledon, but she returned in January 2014 to win her first WTA singles title at the Hobart International.<sup>[13](https://www.si.com/tennis/2014/08/08/garbine-muguruza-interview)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3972618/wta-celebrates-garbine-muguruza-as-she-retires-from-professional-tennis)</sup> At Roland Garros 2014 she beat [Serena Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/serena-williams) 6-2, 6-2 in the second round and reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final, losing to Maria Sharapova.<sup>[11](https://biyografi.bio/es/garbine-muguruza-blanco/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[15](https://www.lemonde.fr/roland-garros/article/2016/06/04/j14-la-joie-de-vivre-selon-serena_6002851_1616946.html)</sup>

**First Grand Slam title, 2016.** Muguruza reached her first major final at Wimbledon 2015, where she lost to Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4.<sup>[8](https://media.diarioversionfinal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/d2596.pdf)</sup> In 2015 she also won the China Open, her first WTA 1000-level title, and recorded 10 wins over top-10 players that season.<sup>[14](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3972618/wta-celebrates-garbine-muguruza-as-she-retires-from-professional-tennis)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://media.diarioversionfinal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/d2596.pdf)</sup> At Roland Garros 2016 she defeated the defending champion Serena Williams 7-5, 6-4 in the final to win her first Grand Slam title.<sup>[4](https://www.europapress.es/deportes/tenis-00166/noticia-garbine-muguruza-anuncia-retirada-tenis-30-anos-20240420162753.html)</sup>

**Wimbledon and world No. 1, 2017.** In the 2017 Wimbledon final Muguruza beat [Venus Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/venus-williams) 7-5, 6-0 in 77 minutes, saving two set points at 4-5 in the first set and then winning nine games in a row.<sup>[16](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/wimbledon-2017-garbine-muguruza-venus-williams-womens-final-result-report-a7842896.html)</sup> That season she also won the Cincinnati Open, beating [Simona Halep](https://www.edgepedia.org/simona-halep) 6-1, 6-0 in the final, and was named WTA player of the year.<sup>[5](https://www.wtatennis.com/legends/316239/garbine-muguruza/record)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[17](https://www.tenisrubor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/RevistaTenisGrandSlam253.pdf)</sup> On 11 September 2017 she became world No. 1, the 24th woman to hold the top spot and the second from Spain after [Arantxa Sánchez Vicario](https://www.edgepedia.org/arantxa-sanchez-vicario) in 1995.<sup>[1](https://wtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/publications/2023MediaGuide/2023MG_PlayerProfiles.pdf)</sup>

**Later career.** Muguruza was a year-end top-5 player three times (2015, 2017, and 2021).<sup>[2](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2024-04-20/former_world_no_1_garbie_muguruza_announces_retirement_from_tennis.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[25](https://www.wtatennis.com/legends/316239/garbi-e-muguruza/stats)</sup> She reached the 2020 [Australian Open](https://www.edgepedia.org/australian-open) final, losing to [Sofia Kenin](https://www.edgepedia.org/sofia-kenin) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.<sup>[5](https://www.wtatennis.com/legends/316239/garbine-muguruza/record)</sup> In 2021 she won the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and the [WTA Finals](https://www.edgepedia.org/wta-finals) in Guadalajara, where she beat Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-5 in the final.<sup>[4](https://www.europapress.es/deportes/tenis-00166/noticia-garbine-muguruza-anuncia-retirada-tenis-30-anos-20240420162753.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.wtatennis.com/legends/316239/garbine-muguruza/record)</sup> Her three WTA 1000 titles were the China Open (2015), Cincinnati (2017), and Dubai (2021).<sup>[14](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3972618/wta-celebrates-garbine-muguruza-as-she-retires-from-professional-tennis)</sup>

She was a two-time Olympian, competing at Rio 2016 and at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games, where she reached the quarter-finals, and played 14 matches across six ties for Spain in the [Billie Jean King Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/billie-jean-king-cup) between 2015 and 2019 with a 10-4 win-loss record.<sup>[18](https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/two-time-grand-slam-champion-muguruza-announces-her-retirement/)</sup>

## Playing style

Muguruza stood 1.82 m tall and played an aggressive baseline game built on a powerful serve and heavy groundstrokes, with the ability to move forward and finish at the net.<sup>[5](https://www.wtatennis.com/legends/316239/garbine-muguruza/record)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[19](https://www.tennisnavi.jp/pro/garbine-muguruza/)</sup> Her forehand was described as a signature shot emblematic of a trend in the women's game toward swing technique and ball velocities closer to those of the men's game.<sup>[20](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/freeze-frame-muguruza-s-forehand)</sup> In her 2017 [Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati) final win over Halep, consistent shot depth was identified as the factor that let her aggression dominate.<sup>[21](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/how-muguruza-s-depth-is-helping-her-dominate)</sup>

## Retirement and post-playing career

Muguruza last played on the WTA tour in January 2023 and announced her retirement on 20 April 2024 at a press conference in Madrid, describing the decision as gradual.<sup>[2](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2024-04-20/former_world_no_1_garbie_muguruza_announces_retirement_from_tennis.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[22](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWnNsqAPFxA)</sup> The announcement was coupled with news that she would become an ambassador for the Laureus World Sports Academy, working to help young people through sport.<sup>[6](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/garbine-muguruza-announces-retirement-from-tennis-at-age-30)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[23](https://www.rolandgarros.com/fr-fr/article/garbine-muguruza-carriere-retraite-grands-chelems)</sup>

She returned to tennis in operational and media roles: TV commentary at Indian Wells, hosting [Tennis Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/tennis-channel)'s VIP Tennis Lounge, and serving as tournament director of the WTA Finals in Riyadh in 2024.<sup>[24](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/garbine-muguruza-miami-vip-tennis-lounge-photos)</sup> In late 2025 she was named co-director of the Madrid Open alongside [Feliciano López](https://www.edgepedia.org/feliciano-lopez), a role she described as a long-held ambition, and she has said she would like to captain the Spanish national team in the future.<sup>[7](https://as.com/tenis/masters_1000/garbine-muguruza-los-tenistas-no-estamos-preparados-para-la-retirada-f202512-n/)</sup>

## References

1. [WTA 2023 Media Guide, Player Profiles](https://wtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/publications/2023MediaGuide/2023MG_PlayerProfiles.pdf)
2. [Former world No. 1 Garbiñe Muguruza announces retirement from tennis, USOpen.org](https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2024-04-20/former_world_no_1_garbie_muguruza_announces_retirement_from_tennis.html)
3. [Garbiñe Muguruza: 10 cosas que deberías saber sobre ella, AS.com](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500116899_194803.html)
4. [Garbiñe Muguruza anuncia su retirada del tenis a los 30 años, Europa Press](https://www.europapress.es/deportes/tenis-00166/noticia-garbine-muguruza-anuncia-retirada-tenis-30-anos-20240420162753.html)
5. [Garbiñe Muguruza, Player Stats, WTA Official](https://www.wtatennis.com/legends/316239/garbine-muguruza/record)
6. [Garbiñe Muguruza announces retirement from tennis at age 30, Tennis.com](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/garbine-muguruza-announces-retirement-from-tennis-at-age-30)
7. [Garbiñe Muguruza: Los tenistas no estamos preparados para la retirada, AS.com](https://as.com/tenis/masters_1000/garbine-muguruza-los-tenistas-no-estamos-preparados-para-la-retirada-f202512-n/)
8. [Diario Versión Final, supplement on Garbiñe Muguruza](https://media.diarioversionfinal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/d2596.pdf)
9. [Garbiñe: Quería una superfinal así y quiero ganar a Serena, AS.com](https://as.com/tenis/2015/07/11/wimbledon/1436565985_459512.html)
10. [Las claves del éxito de Garbiñe, AS.com](https://as.com/tenis/2017/07/15/wimbledon/1500146475_565085.html)
11. [Garbiñe Muguruza Blanco, Biyografi.bio](https://biyografi.bio/es/garbine-muguruza-blanco/)
12. [Garbiñe Muguruza, WikiMundo](https://wikimundo.org/garbine-muguruza/)
13. [Q&A with Garbine Muguruza, SI.com](https://www.si.com/tennis/2014/08/08/garbine-muguruza-interview)
14. [WTA celebrates Garbiñe Muguruza as she retires from professional tennis, WTA Tennis](https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3972618/wta-celebrates-garbine-muguruza-as-she-retires-from-professional-tennis)
15. [J14 - La joie de vivre selon Serena, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/roland-garros/article/2016/06/04/j14-la-joie-de-vivre-selon-serena_6002851_1616946.html)
16. [Wimbledon 2017: Garbine Muguruza romps to victory over Venus Williams, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/wimbledon-2017-garbine-muguruza-venus-williams-womens-final-result-report-a7842896.html)
17. [Garbiñe Muguruza, Revista Tenis Grand Slam 253](https://www.tenisrubor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/RevistaTenisGrandSlam253.pdf)
18. [Two-time Grand Slam champion Muguruza announces her retirement, ITF](https://www.itftennis.com/en/news-and-media/articles/two-time-grand-slam-champion-muguruza-announces-her-retirement/)
19. [ガルビネ・ムグルサ 使用ラケット・プロフィール・成績, Tennis Navi](https://www.tennisnavi.jp/pro/garbine-muguruza/)
20. [Freeze Frame: Muguruza's forehand, Tennis.com](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/freeze-frame-muguruza-s-forehand)
21. [How Muguruza's depth is helping her dominate, Tennis.com](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/how-muguruza-s-depth-is-helping-her-dominate)
22. [Garbiñe Muguruza announces her retirement from professional tennis, EL PAÍS on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWnNsqAPFxA)
23. [Garbiñe Muguruza: Une aventure fantastique, Roland-Garros](https://www.rolandgarros.com/fr-fr/article/garbine-muguruza-carriere-retraite-grands-chelems)
24. [A year into retirement, Garbiñe Muguruza reconnects, Tennis.com](https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/garbine-muguruza-miami-vip-tennis-lounge-photos)
25. [Garbiñe Muguruza, Player Stats & More, WTA Official](https://www.wtatennis.com/legends/316239/garbi-e-muguruza/stats)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Racket and precision ball sports › Tennis › Tennis players and seasons › Individual tennis player biographies › Iberian and Latin American tennis player biographies*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*

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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license