Garbiñe Muguruza prolonged his magic this Wednesday with a prestigious victory at the Qatar Open, in a great match against one of the best players on the circuit and current champion of the tournament: Aryna Sabalenka. The Spanish, who had lost to the 22-year-old Belarusian and world number eight more than two years ago in their only match, won this time in three sets. (6-2, 6-7 (5) and 6-3 in 2h: 26) with a performance that shows that he is at a very high level this season.
Muguruza has played since the beginning of the year with desire and determination in all tournaments and matchesNot only in the Grand Slams, and that makes her a very difficult opponent to beat, among other things because she knows she needs to improve in the classification (she is 16th) so that she does not have to play so soon against top players. In fact, this course has only won three that were seeded: in the eighth of the Australian Open, Naomi Osaka, who finished champion; in the final of the Yarra Valley Classic, Ashleigh Barty; and in the second round of Abu Dhabi, where he raised the Sabalenka cup, Maria Sakkari, who will be precisely her rival on Thursday (around 18:00, TDP and DAZN) in the Doha quarter. The 15-year-old Greek and 25th in the ranking swept the reappeared American Madison Keys (double 6-2).
It was not easy for Garbiñe to defeat a rival of Sabalenka's power, physique and temperament, who played to the best of her abilities and placed 41 winners. In the first set, she clearly beat a tennis player who has already won nine titles, two more than the Caracas woman, although she has two majors trophies in her showcases, a category in which Aryna has not yet managed to curdle. Muguruza defended phenomenally the 4-0 with which he started the game and had options to close it in a second that was complicated by conceding a break in the eighth game. He recovered it right away and even added a new break to get 6-5 and serve. Unfortunately he did not take advantage of his turn and in the tiebreaker his opponent was slightly better.
Patience and desire
Garbiñe had to stop the Belarusian whirlwind again and temper nerves to carry out a game that he had dominated in many moments and in which Sabalenka despaired several times due to experience, patience and quality, even close to the network, a territory in which a clear evolution is finally appreciated towards the improvement of the hand of a Conchita Martínez with COVID who follows her and runs from a hotel. The open serves helped the 2020 champion a lot, who saved several breaking situations with them. Muguruza clung to the encounter with great defenses and counterattacks, was always brave in the attacks (35 winners) and did not sink when he was below on the scoreboard. His opponent helped with an easy backhand shot that rudely threw wide at 3-3. From there to the end, the Spanish did not give in, fantastic and physically and mentally fresher in the last moments of a great battle: 4-0 in the partial with 12 of the last 14 points won.
I consider myself a top player
“I had to fight, continue there and keep thinking that I could win,” he said still on the track. “I consider myself a top player and whenever I go out to play I think I can win the trophy and that is my intention. I never think that nobody is invincible. I have been a player who has also won important tournaments. I trust my tennis, “he said later at a press conference. “I have done a good job of endurance. It is important to be agile and fast and these games are a great test to see how I am. and a challenge because all the players are good. I'm happy with my feelings and I like the way I'm moving on the track, “she added.
Table and results.