Muguruza Makes Winning Debut in Her First WTA Finals Appearance

It’s a winning debut for Garbine Muguruza.

The 22-year-old Spanish-Venezuelan tennis player won her first match at the WTA Finals.

Garbine Muguruza

Muguruza, the second-seed who was making her debut at the season-ending tournament, beat Lucie Safarova 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Monday.

Muguruza is the first Spaniard to play in the WTA Finals since Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 2001.

“To go here, and play and win for the first time, it’s great,” Muguruza said. “So I feel now more calm, more in the tournament.”

Muguruza reached her first Grand Slam final this year at Wimbledon, losing to Serena Williams in straight sets.

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.

Next up for Muguruza will be Angelique Kerber in Wednesday’s evening session.

Suarez Navarro Defeats Klara Zakopalova to Lead Spain the Lead Over the Czech Republic in the Fed Cup Quarterfinals

Carla Suarez Navarro could return home to a hero’s welcome…

The 25-year-old Spanish tennis player rallied from one set down to beat Klara Zakopalova 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, giving Spain a 2-1 lead over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals as their postponed Fed Cup series picked up on Monday.

Carla Suarez Navarro

Suarez overcame a poor start to beat a tiring opponent as Zakopalova was forced to come out earlier Monday to finish her singles match against Maria Torro-Flor.

Zakopalova won that one 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to close out a match that had been postponed in the second set on Sunday.

Rain wreaked havoc on the series all weekend but gave way to sun on Monday, though gusty wind played a factor on the clay court.

Silvia Soler-Espinosa can clinch a Spanish victory in the best-of-five series with a singles win over Lucie Safarova in the fourth singles match.