Spain has its first WTA Masters winner: Garbine Muguruza succeeded where Arantexa Sánchez failed 28 years ago, winning her final against Estonian Annette Kontaveit, marking her return to the highest level, ending in style.

Winners of Roland-Garros in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017, who won 6-3, 7-5, will end the year in third place in the world rankings, after three years away from the top 10. Australian Ashleigh Barty (N.1), who skipped the Masters, and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (N.2) finished in the group stage, ahead of her.

“I am very happy and relieved because I struggled at the beginning of the tournament, but then I managed to play better. I proved to myself that I can be the best, that I can be + mistress + It means a lot to me to win such a big tournament, here in Latin America. It’s absolutely right”, she responded.

The 28-year-old Muguruza, who was world No. 1 in September 2017, thus ended the year 2021 in the best possible way, during which she also planted herself in Dubai and Chicago. This title is the tenth title of his career.

Muguruza played his first final, marking his fourth participation in the event after 2015, 2016 and 2017. Unlike Sánchez, who was the first woman in her country to reach the milestone in 1993, eventually losing to German Steffi Graf, she did not miss a chance to win it.

Kontaveit, the first participant, deservedly thanks to his thunderous end to the season, marked by four titles in Cleveland, Ostrava, Moscow and Cluj, between late August and late October, was not to be underestimated.

And with the dazzling look of the Estonian, Muguruza likens his experience to the key meetings that served him at the meeting’s approach and critical moments.

– 2022, year of Muguruza? ,

He thus had a better entry into the final, breaking for the first time to lead 2–1, before his opponent immediately returned the favor. A good response which then did not stop him from committing too many mistakes, again abandoning his commitment in the seventh game.

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Muguruza, more solid, was able to pocket the first set, thanks to a superb defensive lob after a long exchange, once again on Kontaveit’s serve.

The latter, erasing several break points, was able to give one a 4-3, then 5-3 lead in the second set. But the Spaniard quickly regained his counter tennis to win the next four games and take the win in 1h39 minutes.

Mexico is certainly doing well in 2018 and 2019 winning Muguruza in Monterrey.

She will replace Barty, who won in 2019 in Shenzhen, China. Last year’s edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and this year’s edition was moved to Guadalajara for the same reasons.

From Serena Williams, who treats a thighbone, to Naomi Osaka, through Barty, to chronic anxiety-stricken Naomi Osaka, after spending seven months away from her country, the absence has been remarkable.

The year 2021 was also one of the most volatile at the helm of women’s tennis, with eight different finalists in four Grand Slam tournaments, most notably leading to surprise victories at Roland Garros and Czech Barbora Krejcikova in Britain. US Open.

So many reasons, which, adding to the uncertainty about the physical and mental health of the aforementioned great champion, make next season unpredictable.

Unless Muguruza takes advantage of this new momentum to impose his dominance.

nip / nzg / gf