Williams has now lost back to back Grand Slam Finals for the first time in her career, while Murguruza becomes the first Spanish woman to hoist the Suzanne Lenglen Trophy since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 1998..
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Garbine Muguruza of Spain hits a forehand during the Ladies Singles final match against Serena Williams of the United States on day fourteen of the 2016 French Open at Roland Garros on June 4, 2016, in Paris.
Garbine Muguruza seized her chance in spectacular fashion to win her first grand slam title at the French Open as Serena Williams’ grip on women’s tennis loosened a little further.
One name on a very short list of candidates is Serena herself and another is Steffi Graf, who holds the professional-era record of 22 singles titles at the game’s four blue riband events.
The rapid action unfolds thus: Muguruza racks up a definite advantage after clinching breaks that gives her the first set and a lead in the second.
Billie Jean King, the grande dame of women’s tennis, reckons Garbine Muguruza’s stunning French Open triumph, especially the way she outhit Serena Williams, signals the start of a change of guard in women’s tennis.
The tournament win in Paris means that Muguruza will rise to a career-best second in the world rankings behind Williams with Wimbledon coming up later this month where she already knows she can compete.
Muguruza remained rock solid, however, finally converting on her own serve with a lob that caught both players by surprise, before the Spaniard fell to the clay in celebration.
Williams, who had been the big favourite, was given a rousing reception as she accepted her runner-up prize but Muguruza, who accepted the winner’s trophy from the former American great Billie Jean King, was a deserving victor. Have three consecutive heart-breaking Slam losses finally knocked her out of the top spot?
“She has the big serve, lethal power from the baseline, and showed a cool head and a strong heart to close out the match after Williams had saved those four championship points”. Garbine is ambitious and has the potential to win more Grand Slams. I looked at the chair umpire and chair umpire doesn’t want to say anything.
“I didn’t play the game I needed to win. That just goes to show you really have to play the big points well and I think she played the big points really well”, Williams said. “I’ve grown up playing on clay so for Spain and for me this is just unbelievable”.
She did not look as listless as she had 24 hours earlier, but when she surrendered her serve to Muguruza in the fifth game by firing three backhand errors and a double fault, the signs looked ominous. “Spain is very lucky to have this unbelievable tennis player”. I was like, ‘did I win Roland Garros?’ “Her footwork was not what it should be”, King said.
With the French Open finished the next time most people will see Roland-Garros runner-up Serena Williams she’ll be in all-whites at Wimbledon.
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Williams had struggled for rhythm in her quarter-final and, after again battling to overcoming Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands to make the final, the 34-year-old had reluctantly admitted to reports that she had been carry an injury, reportedly to an adductor.
