The Spanish-Venezuelan tennis player Garbiñe Muguruza stressed this Wednesday, after receiving the gold medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit (ROMD), that the remainder of 2023 will be a sabbatical year for her, denying having “a return date” to the highest competition and questioning their participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
After collecting his award, awarded by the Higher Sports Council (CSD), Muguruza was asked if he is missing the competition. “Well, the truth… at the moment, no,” she opened up to journalists. “I really liked that he also said knowing how to stop”, she thus alluded to the words of Víctor Francos, president of the CSD, in his speech to thank the tennis player.
“It’s something I had no idea about, but now I think I’ve been a bit brave to say: ‘Okay, I’m going to rest a bit.’ Because it took me a lot to make the decision. I’m happy because I can enjoy moments like this with my family. So at the moment I don’t have a return date, for now this year I’m sure not, because I want to be with my family,” Muguruza insisted.
In addition, she dedicated the award to herself. “You also have to know how to recognize yourself, right? Because it’s always thanks to this, thanks to the other… And today I want to thank myself for my effort and for really having dedicated myself to the maximum. And I don’t want to look bad, but it is also important to recognize oneself”, he argued in this regard.
“Right now I don’t miss the competition because I know what it is and I really want to rest from it. I miss winning, yes, but the competition and the day to day… I really missed being calm and I am. missing me, so it’s been a good break”, he confessed about his sabbatical.
In the same way, he denied that he is going to retire definitively. “I don’t know where that really comes from. I think it’s because of the medal, everyone has said ‘could it be…?’ No, no, this really is a sabbatical year and the medal means nothing,” she said after receiving the ROMD award.
“The Paris Games? Well, let’s see. Taking this sabbatical year is a bit fair, because it influences a lot, right? But of course, I would love to participate, in the end it’s something very special”, he commented on the possibilities of attending to the Paris 2024 event.
She also said that “the point of ambition” in her game “is because I am competitive and I follow the results, I follow my teammates and how they train and such.” “So don’t worry, it’s there. My body and my mind have noticed this change, which is good,” she added.
In this context, he set as objectives when he resumes his career “to win the US Open, to win Australia, an Olympic medal, to win the Federation Cup… a thousand”. “There are still many in tennis, there are so many trophies still to be lifted,” Muguruza mused.
On the other hand, he praised his former coach Conchita Martínez, although without specifying if they will work together again. “Well, the truth is that I haven’t thought about it, but I talk to her every week. She will be the first to know when she plays again, but at the moment we don’t even know how she will be then,” said Muguruza.
Finally, he valued the decision taken by Rafa Nadal to stop his career and think about a possible expiration date. “I think he can come back. It is clear that he also needs his rest, because he is great too. And he, when he wants to return, will give a lot of war because in the end he is the best in history,” said the tennis player from Caracas.
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