Garbiñe Muguruza has not been on the tennis court since the end of January, when she played her last match and decided to take a break without a fixed end. She continues to distance herself from tennis and says she doesn’t miss the elite activities at all, but rather the opposite. The tennis player says in an interview with Women’s Health magazine that she is “very happy” off the court today and doesn’t miss the routine, giving a serious indication of where her mind is going right now. He is in no rush to return and in fact says he has not yet scheduled his return for next season.
When asked if she intended to return to the competition, the former number one replied: “As of today, I have no intention. My plan right now is to sleep, rest, be with my loved ones, make up for lost time… I don’t see beyond what I’m doing today, tomorrow and this week.” And when asked how she Having experienced this break that she announced in mid-April, fed up with the professional whirlwind and the weekly judgment of the media and professionals, she adds: “I am living this break very happily, because that is what it was.” something that my body and mine Spirit needed, so I really enjoy these moments.”
MORE INFORMATION
Muguruza played her last match on January 30 – a defeat in Lyon against Linda Noskova, then 56th in the world – and announced she would retire by the summer. However, circumstances gradually changed and before the end of the spring he knew that he would no longer compete that season and that he needed to detoxify. That means zero tennis. “It has no place in my routine,” she tells Women’s Health; “I still look out for my teammates and can play every now and then, but not intensively, more for fun.” It doesn’t bother me, my day or my routines. “I’m really taking a real break and trying to stay away from the slopes.”
Instead of holding a racket, Muguruza now prefers to dance Zumba – he recently took part in a major event in Malaga – play paddle tennis, take walks and move from here to there. But the momentum is not thanks to tennis now. “My physical condition has changed because by not competing, I try to stay in shape without having to train to the limit. I go to the gym regularly, at most once a week. “I love doing strength training, supplementing my cardio part with Zumba, Pilates classes, yoga, boxing… I take the opportunity to do all the things that I didn’t have time to do while training for tennis,” he replies without Pay the least attention to the ranking as it is currently ranked 1,038th in the world.
Azkoitia, the exception
Muguruza, who turned 30 last Sunday, has used all this time to enjoy such diverse opportunities as the April Fair or Zinemaldia and to invest hours in the Andalusian coast and nature. He also traveled to Madrid to receive the gold medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit at the Real Club Tenis Chamartín and in the afternoon he added the ellipsis: “I was a bit brave to quit, something that cost me a lot, so I’m happy . I don’t have a return date, but definitely not this year because I want to be with my family. It is not a final farewell, but a sabbatical year. I don’t miss the competition, I do miss winning. But I want to rest.”
The winner of Roland Garros (2016), Wimbledon (2017) and the Masters Cup (2020) was only seen once at a public rally, when she visited Azkoitia in July in the company of her father José Antonio, who emigrated to Caracas in 1978 where she opened He, along with 250 children, built an indoor track that bears his name, and he has already made it known that it has not occurred to him to return to performing in the short or medium term, a position he maintains.
Muguruza and his partner Arthur Borges recently at the closing gala of the San Sebastián Festival.Raúl Terrel / Europa Press (Europa Press)
“I don’t want to consider dating because then you won’t be able to relax mentally. “I want to be calm and come back when I really feel like it,” she said that day, in keeping with the fall speech. He doesn’t miss the adrenaline of the elite and instead continues to discover the joys of a lifestyle he never knew before, since he went to Barcelona at the age of seven to start his career. Happy in his new everyday life, liberated to a certain extent, he continues to strive to keep his distance from his sport, from which he only misses “sharing” it with his team, “that connection that brings with it very good moments of support, of suffering brings, of being together…”
The next course will be special for her because in 2024 she will marry the couple who have shared her daily life for two years. Meanwhile, he will continue to pick the leaves of the daisy inside, while he will be given support and at the same time distance from those closest to him so that he can decide freely and without interference, without pressure of any kind. “It is in her hands, the decision lies entirely with Garbiñe,” those around her told this newspaper. The fact is that the answer is crystal clear today: if tennis is to return, it won’t be now.
You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on Facebook and Xor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.