Muguruza beats Safarova on her WTA Finals debut

She was the first Spanish woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Conchita Martinez lost the French Open final in 2000, and the first to do so at Wimbledon since Sanchez-Vicario in 1995 and 1996.

Garbine Muguruza won her first match at the WTA Finals, and Angelique Kerber won her second. That’s another question. Is she mature enough? If you take all this in, then also recognize that she didn’t make it to any of the Grand Slam quarterfinals all year… well, at least she took home a bunch of other titles this year.

“Well, I have earned my place here so I am definitely at this level but I don’t regard myself as a favourite”, said Muguruza.

“It’s going to be a challenge to play singles and doubles here”, she acknowledged, though she will have company in Safarova, who will partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands. “Always kind of have important objectives in your mind to be motivated”.

It was a little more spirited by the Czech as she out-ground the grinder to head into the second set with a bit of a lead, but you can’t keep a good Kerber down.

The No. 2 seed was suitably chuffed, and indeed articulate about her win, saying: “Obviously to go there and play and win for the first time, it’s great”. She started off 2015 well, winning in Sydney and Madrid, not to mention a huge, swift win (6-2, 6-3) over Serena.

“If I lose, okay”.

Meanwhile – the schedule was on a night shift, as it was the turn of second seed Garbiñe Muguruza to fight the group of lefties.

“She’s a strong player”, the Romanian and world number two insisted.

At the eight-player season finale, Muguruza and Safarova are in the White Group round robin together with Angelique Kerber of Germany and Czech Petra Kvitova.

She believes Muguruza will continue to be around the top in the coming years – and the latter agrees. “I’m really motivated to achieve that and I think I’m on a good path”.

The Spaniard said it is “possible” the tennis fraternity and fans will view her as the next big thing in tennis, if she wins in Singapore. “I don’t know”, Muguruza chuckled.

“For sure, it’s one of my objectives to be up there and stay there”, Muguruza said yesterday in a media session.

I’m happy how we’ve arranged everything and even though it’s still been a really long season for me, I feel OK now and ready for a challenging few weeks.