Former world No 1 Garbine Muguruza has announced that she will have an "extended break" from tennis and will miss the clay and grass seasons.
Muguruza, 29, has only played four matches this season, losing in the first round of each. The Spaniard was scheduled to play at the inaugural Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in February but withdrew on the eve of the tournament citing personal reasons.
"Spending time with family and friends and it's really been healthy and amazing, so I am going to lengthen this period till summer, therefore I am going to miss clay and grass season," Muguruza wrote on Instagram.
It means Muguruza will miss the two Grand Slam tournaments where she won her two major titles. She made her major breakthrough at the 2016 French Open and won Wimbledon the following year.
Muguruza reached the top of the WTA Tour rankings in September 2017 but has since experienced plenty of inconsistency. She slipped to 18th by the end of the 2018 season and dropped further to 36th in 2019 but began to climb back up in 2020 to finish the year 15th.
Muguruza was firmly back amongst the elite in 2021, ending the year ranked No 3 after winning the WTA Finals title, but struggled throughout 2022 and dropped outside the top 50. She is currently ranked No 132.
Svitolina makes return from maternity leave
Meanwhile, two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Elina Svitolina did not exactly ease her way back in her first match as a mother. Her return after more than a year away from the tennis tour was a back-and-forth three-setter lasting two hours and 46 minutes at the Charleston Open on Monday.
Svitolina – ranked as high as No 3 in the past and currently No 1,081 – could not quite pull out a victory, ceding the last two games and losing 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to Yulia Putintseva on the main stadium's green clay.
“Physically, it was not easy for me,” Svitolina, 28, said. “It showed, I think, that I'm not at my best, but I'm getting there.”
The Ukrainian said she felt goosebumps when the crowd roared to mark her entrance. There were her familiar big-cut forehands. Her customary visor. And the unmistakable competitiveness displayed by clenched fists and yells of “Let's go!”
“It’s very nice to have her back. She’s always been super nice and an inspiration for me, because she was a warrior on court, a fighter, and I love these kind of players. It’s even more inspirational seeing her come back as a mom,” said Paula Badosa, who is seeded 12th in Charleston. “I’m very happy for her and I hope soon she’s back where she belongs.”
