DUBAI // Garbine Muguruza is making her first visit to the UAE at this week’s Dubai Tennis Championships, yet is hoping to leave without seeing any of the country’s famous tourist attractions.
“If I win matches I don’t have time, so hopefully I don’t get to see anything,” the world No 24 said after surprising fifth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 6-2 to book her place in the quarter-finals.
Muguruza is seen as one of the women’s games most promising young players and on yesterday’s showing it is clear to see why. The 21-year-old Spanish-Venezuelan broke the older, more experienced Radwanska twice in the first set to race to a 5-2 lead.
RELATED
[ – Top seeds tumble in Dubai as Ivanovic, Williams and Radwanksa lose in third round ]
[ – Djokovic, Federer and the 10 players to watch at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships ]
Showing fearlessness throughout, Muguruza rarely looked troubled even after being broken back following a double-fault – her second of three in the first set.
She closed out with a booming forehand and a beaming smile.
“I enjoyed it,” she said. “Sometimes you don’t enjoy, but this time I did because I was playing really good.
“You know, I thought that if I continue playing like this eventually I would win the match so I am very happy.”
While Muguruza at times looked imperious in the midday sunshine, in contrast Poland’s Radwanska wilted.
She double-faulted twice successively to lose the opening game before failing to hit a single point-winning shot during Muguruza’s first service game.
After breaking back in the fourth game, she was broken again in the fifth and seventh, and Muguruza closed out the match with a powerful cross-court forehand
“When you’re not playing your best tennis then it’s hard to compete with these kind of players,” Radwanska said. “I didn’t serve enough to win and that was a really important part of the match.”
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE