Garbine Muguruza: Comfortable in the spotlight

It seems fitting that China is hosting several of the early weeks in Garbine Muguruza’s competitive reign as the world’s top-ranked player, for the fiercely hierarchical nation of more than 1.4 billion reserves a special fondness and respect for those who rise above the masses to reach No.1.

In women’s tennis right now that high-achiever is Muguruza, who took over from eight-weeks-on-the-throne Karolina Pliskova after the US Open, the Czech in turn having succeeded Angelique Kerber after what turned out to be a three-part, but not terribly happy stay.

Some thrive in the brightest spotlight; others shrink slightly from its glare. The extra demands and obligations can be exhausting, the scrutiny intense. What for Serena Williams was the only place to be, was for Kerber and others, a dreamed-of destination where adjustments were required on arrival.

Despite failing to reach the final in either of her first two tournaments as No.1, Muguruza appears more in the Williams mould. Just the way she walks, talks, carries herself, it is almost as if – at just 23 – the regal Spaniard has finally claimed her birthright. Asked about the Kerber example, she said each player’s experience is intensely personal, but is managing her own so far, and determined to, for things were apparently crazier after her Wimbledon victory than they have been post-New York.

“What I do feel is when you reach something that you think is, like, incredible, there is a new door opening,’’ Muguruza said at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open. “When you get there, like when you go out of your village, you think you’ve seen everything.  But when you go out of the city, ‘Oh, my God’.

“That’s how I feel right now. I’m reaching No.1. I feel like I’ve been in every spot in the top 10. Now it’s a whole new situation. I feel like slowly, little by little, I kind of prepared myself.  It’s not suddenly, ‘Oh, I’m No. 1 spot with one tournament’. It doesn’t really surprise me, but I agree that it’s tricky.’’

Pliskova seems less naturally suited to the position, but rejected a suggestion this week that she had not enjoyed her brief stint with a No.1 beside her name, preferring to define the ranking as not all that important. Whatever the number, she stressed, her approach to practice, to matches, tournaments, is unchanged.

“I just said in New York that I felt little bit extra pressure, but was more things not only being world No. 1 there. But there is no changes,’’ said Pliskova, admitting the year-end No.1 spot was a different matter, but not something she planned to chase.

“I’ve been there. Like, to be honest, I think it’s just a ranking. It’s not a title. I think it’s still different. If you’ve been there for at least few days, I don’t think it’s important to be there all life or a year. Doesn’t change any position on the tournaments – maybe only the seeding, the draw, but that’s it.’’

For Caroline Wozniacki, who finished both 2010 and 2011 in top spot among 67 weeks overall, there was the suggestion that perhaps a second coming would be even more satisfying than her first, given the trials and struggles and the 70s ranking depths reached in between.

“Whenever you become No.1, it’s obviously a big deal,’’ said the Dane. “Very few players in the world or very few people in the world have ever done that.  It’s something that’s very special.  But at the same time it’s not something that is really on the forefront of my mind right now.’’

Nor is missing out – just – on Simona Halep’s, the Romanian denying her recent near-misses took any mental or emotional toll. But the world No.2 accepts it is now unlikely to happen this year. If it does, great. But for now: “It’s gone… I’ve thought about it many times, but now it’s over in my eyes, so I’m just coming to the tournaments like normal, like this week. No pressure. If I’m able to get there, I will do it one day.’’

For Williams, has long been part of her every day, regardless of numbers. As the new mother likes to say: “I always consider myself the best and the top.”
If only it was that simple for all.