The way they competed.
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“It was a really unbelievable lesson for me”.
French Open champion Garbiñe Muguruza dominated the headlines in the Spanish press on Sunday after winning her first Grand Slam title with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over American world No.1 Serena Williams in Paris. She comes to the net, but Williams has the answer with a fine passing shot as the American pulls it back to 3-2.
“I’m very happy, but I’d like to have more”, she said. “This is the tournament in Spain, being on clay, Rafa is the champion and to win here is the best”.
That’s what the younger Williams has done for years.
For a stretch of four major tournaments, up through a victory over Muguruza in the Wimbledon final previous year, Williams went unbeaten, taking every title. She held there, then broke Williams and closed out a fantastic first set in 55 minutes when she pummeled a backhand victor down the line, out of reach of a scurrying Serena. I thought about it yesterday. I was like, “Come on, let’s go for it. There’s no room for being disappointed or for excuses”, Muguruza said. He said he had no doubt she would do it. “Serena was in front of the ball so I didn’t know if it was in or out”, said a beaming Muguruza, who was presented with the trophy by American great Billie Jean King. She can hit as well cross court as down the line which makes her extremely risky. In 2011, she underwent two foot surgeries and fought life-threatening blood clots on her lungs. “I mean, last time we played here in France she was able to win the match”. “Serena does that, too”.
For the third Grand Slam event in a row, Serena Williams played late into the tournament in a bid to win her 22nd Grand Slam title, which would tie her for most in the Open-era with Steffi Graf.
Spain’s Garbine Muguruza poses with the cup during a photocall at Concorde Plaza in Paris, Sunda …
The world number one certainly looked a lot sharper at the start of the match and had two chances to break the Muguruza serve in the fourth game.
That 2-0 record includes a 6-2 6-2 second round win two years ago – the heaviest defeat of Williams’ 339-match grand slam career.
“She has a bright future, obviously”, said Williams, who at 34 is 12 years older than her Spanish opponent. Yes, she has never lost two consecutive grand slams finals in her career. She continues to be challenged by a slew of rising stars in the women’s game. As the first seeded player, she put in some serious tennis to reach her fourth French Open final. There was nothing Williams could do about the fifth, which Muguruza converted with a delightful lob that landed right on the baseline. She is still here, ” Sumyk replied. She will be around for a long time.
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And it didn’t look like she would do so on this occasion when she coughed up a break in the opening game of the second set, but, showing all the qualities that had seen her win eight of her 21 major titles in the last four years, she broke back immediately for 1-all in the second set.
