Garbine Muguruza relaxed in Wimbledon title defence

World number three Garbine Muguruza will not allow herself to be consumed by the pressure of defending her Wimbledon title.

Published : Jul 01, 2018 21:00 IST

Garbine Muguruza insists she feels no additional pressure returning to Wimbledon as the defending champion.
Garbine Muguruza insists she feels no additional pressure returning to Wimbledon as the defending champion.
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Garbine Muguruza insists she feels no additional pressure returning to Wimbledon as the defending champion.

Garbine Muguruza insists she feels no additional pressure returning to Wimbledon as the defending champion.

Spanish star Muguruza collected her second grand slam title in SW19 in 2017, breezing past Venus Williams 7-5, 6-0 in the final.

And although the 24-year-old struggled badly in her defence of her 2016 French Open crowd, going out in the fourth round, she is not allowing herself to be distracted this time around.

"There are just good memories. I'm here to win another Wimbledon, not to defend the title," Muguruza told a news conference. "It's a new year, a new field.

"Of course it's a special situation coming back to a grand slam you won last year. You're emotional and happy. But I think I give it less important right now.

"It doesn't really matter what happened in 2017, it's just about this year."

Indeed, Muguruza believes she has learned from her experience at the French Open, where she put too much pressure on herself to retain the title.

"My life goes very fast. (The title) seems not long ago but it is a long time for us athletes, with all the emotions we go through with tournaments," she said.

"I have another perspective - that's the word, 'perspective'. I am giving it less importance. Having been in that position and learned and experienced stuff, you know what's not going to help and what is going to help."

World number two Caroline Wozniacki is similarly taking a relaxed approach to this tournament, having ended her wait for a grand slam title at the Australian Open in January.

"It feels good. It's something that I've worked hard for a long time," the Dane said. "It's great that I finally have (a grand slam).

"There's excitement, a lot of things. You work so hard for something and it comes true. I'm just having a good time."

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