The 2-time Grand Slam champion had already officiated as director of the WTA Finals in Riyadh for the last two seasons—a tournament she won back in 2021, her last title as a professional. Her performance left good impressions on the Madrid organization, which saw in Muguruza the opportunity to bring in an experienced local former player to join an unprecedented co-director plan for a tournament of this category.
“Garbiñe’s incorporation is not a symbolic gesture. It is a conviction and a declaration of principles,” stated Gerard Tsobanian, CEO of the tournament. “We firmly believe that tennis leadership must be built from diverse, complementary perspectives with the same voice and the same weight. The experience of a Grand Slam champion like her has incalculable value for a tournament like ours.”
A stellar career cut short
The former world No. 1 ended a standout career early, boasting titles at Roland Garros 2016 and Wimbledon 2017—defeating Serena and Venus Williams respectively—in addition to reaching two other major finals and winning three WTA 1000 titles. Her victory at the 2021 WTA Finals marked the last title of her career.
However, following the title in Guadalajara (the former host of the Finals), Muguruza began a decline in form during the subsequent seasons. By early 2023, she announced she was taking a break from her career. Her last match was in February of that year, a first-round loss at the Lyon Open to Linda Noskova. The Spaniard was barely 29 years old, and although she maintained uncertainty for several months, she used the 2024 Madrid Open—more than a year later—to officially announce her retirement.
A leader among peers
The former player is just 32 years old but already possesses leadership experience thanks to her role at the WTA Finals in Riyadh. “Being close to the players for two years, [I have] that close relationship because I am a former player who retired recently. I can take care of them and make sure they have all the attention they need.”
In this year’s Finals, there were players from practically the same generation as Muguruza: Madison Keys (30) or Jessica Pegula (31)—and that was just in the singles draw, as the doubles field featured players even older than Muguruza, such as the experienced Sara Errani, Su-Wei Hsieh, or Asia Muhammad.