Former world number one Garbine Muguruza has confirmed her retirement from tennis with immediate effect.
The 30-year-old, born in Venezuela, announced her decision at a press conference in Madrid on Saturday.
“I feel I am ready to retire, to open this new chapter in my life. A new era, a new life,” she said.
“I was nervous, wanting to say it. I feel good, even if the word retired is a bit strong,” she said.
She retires as the second-most successful female Spanish singles player of all time, behind Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, who won four singles Grand Slams.
Muguruza defeated one of the Williams sisters for both of her Grand Slam titles, at the time becoming only the second tennis player born in the 1990s to win a Major.
She defeated Serena in the 2016 French Open as part of a run of 14 consecutive sets won, having lost to her in the previous year’s Wimbledon final. She then defeated Venus at the 2017 Wimbledon — including a final set bagel — before spending four weeks at world number one later that year.
Muguruza celebrates after bagelling Williams to win Wimbledon in 2017 (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Muguruza has frequently described the Williams sisters as “role models” for her career since she was growing up, not just in terms of the standards they…
