Hogwired All about sports Former French Open winner Garbine Muguruza has recently said that it was high time women’s tennis had a “new face” at the top. She said this in appreciation of the fact of Angelique Kerber becoming the new world number one after Serena Williams lost the top spot after being beaten by Karolina Pliskova in the US Open semi-finals. Serena has lost the top spot after a run of 186 weeks. Williams, after pulling out of the Wuhan Open and next week’s China Open in Beijing on Friday, has guaranteed this no 1 spot to Kerber till the end of this year. If Serena wins another Grand Slam tournament, she will surpass the record of Steffi Graf.
After Serena was dethroned from the No 1 position Garbine Muguruza in a comment said, “I’m happy that we have a new face in the world number one, not because I have a preference, but just because I think it’s good sometimes.” The current world no 3, Garbine Muguruza made these comments to the reporters in Wuhan, China.
Angelique Kerber defeated Pliskova in the US Open finals and claimed her second grand slam win. Her first grand slam win was the Australian Open this January where she beat Serena in the finals. Kerber, while speaking to AFP in Wuhan, China after defeating Serena, said, “I am sure that she (Williams) will (be) coming back strong.”
Serena Williams has won the most major singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles combined among active players, male or female. Her impeccable record of 38 major titles puts her fourth on the all-time list and second in the open era: 22 in singles, 14 in women’s doubles, and two in mixed doubles.
Garbine Muguruza also defeated Serena in the French Open this year to clinch the title. Simona Halep who is the world no 5 said that the dethroning of Serena from the world no 1 position has given other women players a confidence boost. Serena was the world no 1 since February 2013.
Simona Halep, elaborating on this context, said, “It’s much easier to believe in yourself when you see that Serena is not there anymore, like, winning every tournament, being number one in the world for years.”
Kerber who is oldest ever women’s player to debut at the top of the rankings commented on her becoming world no 1 by saying, “The ranking… it’s just a number. I was always telling myself if that day will come… then that would happen, but (I was) not putting too much pressure on myself.”
