WTA FINALS

November 16, 2021

Garbine Muguruza

Press Conference

G. MUGURUZA/P. Badosa

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Garbine, talk us through your thoughts on the match today, what you think you did well, and looking ahead to the final.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Very happy with my performance. I think it's the best match that I played so far here in Guadalajara. It was a tough match facing another Spaniard in the semifinals of a Masters. Actually the first time we've encountered together. We've never faced each other before. So it was tricky.

But I'm very happy that I got the win. Very proud of Paula. She started the year far in the rankings, and now she's a top-10 player. Very impressive. She deserves a very well rest. Very happy for her year.

Now just moving on to the last match of the year and very excited about it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It seemed like in the last match against Kontaveit you seemed to start finding your serve. It seemed important in this match today. Has that shot in particular become much more comfortable with each match or are there other aspects of your game that have come further compared to the Pliskova match?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think, yes, I improved my serve. I managed to have a serve that works here in Guadalajara. But I think everything got better. Probably the serve, it's a shot that it's more tricky in altitude. I feel like in general my game, my shots, my serve, my movement, it's improving match by match.

Yeah, today was the best of them all.

Q. Before the tournament you spoke about how special it was for you to be playing in Latin America. This has turned into a great week for you results-wise. This rare occasion of getting to play in this atmosphere, in front of these people, has that been something that has been driving you or keeping you in a positive place in your game and mind?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: Yeah, I mean, like you said, rare occasion. Probably once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me in my career to play a Masters in Mexico. It's a cocktail for me that's super motivating.

Every time I came here to Mexico, I always feel very welcome, very happy. The environment just clicks with me. Having a Masters played this year, it was like, Okay, Garbine, this is your opportunity. You got to give it all no matter you win or lose. You have to get out of here and feel like, Man, I gave all my energy.

Yeah, I think I'm doing that.

Q. You've talked about how you're not the typical Spanish player, and neither is Paula. In your case, where did you get that aggressive style? How did you decide that was the way you were going to play?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I think it started to change when I was a teenager. I don't know exactly when was the transition. Let's say like 17 or 16. Also because my body, I'm a tall woman, big arms, and my personality always didn't match probably the classic Spanish game. I wanted to dominate, be aggressive, be fearless. I had to kind of change my game style.

I started playing the Spanish way. I quickly figured out, Hey, this is not for me. I got to step on the court and be aggressive.

Yeah, I developed this game. People don't have to think that the Spanish style is only being further back, more defensive. Like I'm a clear example that I got to go forward.

Q. You've been to this championship a number of times. Other than it being in Mexico, what feels different than the other ones?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, I'm more experienced. The fact it's in Latin America, it's clearly something that I love. I love Chinese fans as well, Singapore fans. I do feel like here it's different for me. I feel more home. I feel more the culture.

That really matters when you come to the Masters, the last tournament of the year, to have the stadium screaming and full of people, people excited. I feel that's what a Masters should be.

Q. You were just talking about playing in front of Spanish-speaking crowds, being the first Spanish woman to reach the Final since Arantxa. Does that bring on nerves? Besides that, how you've played and what you've achieved here, what sort of nerves do you get with a match? How do they manifest themselves?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, every time you have an important match, you feel your body, you feel you want it so much. Maybe for some players it's tough to sleep, for some players you feel your stomach might be close. Yeah, it's a classic feeling.

Fortunately I feel like I've been through so many tough and stressful moments playing Grand Slams and playing important matches that I'm not scared of it. I actually like it.

This is actually something important when the moment comes, the tough moments, the stressful matches, to not fear them. You have to be like, Okay, you know what, I know how to handle. Let's see how it goes. Have a kind of better mindset to face them.

Q. You mentioned all the experiences in the past that you could draw on. What is it like to be the elder Spaniard in this matchup? You're the most experienced player in the semifinal. In the past, previous big matches, you were the younger player like against Venus and Serena. How different does that feel?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, I didn't really thought about it too much. I definitely saw that there was a lot of first players in the Masters. At the end I'm facing the best of the year. Yes, my experience might count in certain moments.

I'm just excited that after many years I'm back here. I played already few times a Masters. It's a great feeling to have a career and to get one after another Masters. This is my best result so far. I'm so looking forward for that final.

I totally don't feel the oldest. I'm 28. I'm just excited. I feel like everybody else. So happy for Paula that she's young also, did such an amazing year. I'm very impressed.

Q. You said you played better today than you have all week. Is there a trick to getting better with each round? Is it finding things that might work in a strange environment, working on them at practice, or more about comfort?

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I would say the first one. I feel like I've struggled the first couple of matches. One, I didn't find the way. The other one, I did. All of those circumstances helps you to find the way, the way to play here, to find your shots, to serve, to have a game plan.

Because I struggled and went through the tough times, it's like a little progression, you know? Sometimes it's not like that. Sometimes it goes just worst. I feel like in this time it really helped me.

Those first matches, two hours and a half on court fighting, trying to find a way, I think it paid off today a little bit in terms of a feeling. I'm like, Okay, I know the altitude by now. I've spent many hours on the court. I think, Okay, I feel much better.

Q. Obviously you'll face Maria or Anett in the final. You played Anett a couple days ago. Talk about the challenge of playing each one of those players.

GARBINE MUGURUZA: I mean, I really don't have a preference. They're both aggressive. They're both playing well. I saw Sakkari yesterday having that big win, and Kontaveit with this incredible run.

It's going to be a tough final. I have won and lost to both of them. I'm just looking forward. I'm looking at myself, not the others too much. I feel like if I focus on myself, like I did today, I have more chances I feel like.

I'll be aware of the match. I'll just rest and get ready for tomorrow.