The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Five facts on Garbine Muguruza who defeated Venus Williams in the Wimbledon final on Saturday:
— Muguruza was born in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas in October, 1993. Her mother Scarlet Blanco is from the South American country and Muguruza holds dual Spanish-Venezuelan nationality. Father Jose is a Spanish-Basque.
Paris — mon amour et bete noire
— Muguruza won the French Open title in 2016 but her defence ended in tears and controversy this year after she accused the Roland Garros crowd as being “disrespectful” for their behaviour towards her as she lost to home star Kiki Mladenovic. While she conducted a tearful news conference, coach Sam Sumyk described the Paris fans as “pathetic”.
Coaching row
— Muguruza was accused of being illegally ‘coached’ from her player’s box by vanquished Wimbledon quarter-final opponent Svetlana Kuznetsova. “It was pretty clear because we all speak Spanish here. She was talking to her all the time. It’s her physio. I mean, I know she acts like this all the time. I don’t think it’s appropriate,” said the Russian. Muguruza said it was all something of nothing. “Honestly, they were just cheering for me. I like when my team is behind me. But nothing really tactical or specific.”
Been there, done that
— Muguruza enlisted the help of 1994 Wimbledon champion and fellow Spaniard Conchita Martinez for her All England Club campaign. “I think she’s helping me to deal with the stress of the tournament, because it’s a long tournament,” Muguruza said of her 45-year-old compatriot who filled in for Sumyk, missing Wimbledon due to his wife’s pregnancy.
Master chef
— After winning the 2016 French Open, Muguruza admitted she relaxes by cooking, mostly desserts. “Anything with sugar, not with salt. Cakes and cookies. Oreo brownie is the best one,” she said. However, her time in the kitchen while at Wimbledon this year almost ended in disaster. “Every time I come to Wimbledon, a lot of things happen in the house. I love red meat. We were doing nice steaks but there was so much smoke that the fire alarm was, like, under where you cook. I’m like, ‘Why do you put a fire alarm there?'”
