It's been over a year since Garbine Muguruza last competed on the WTA Tour, and it doesn't look like she intends to end her sabbatical anytime soon.
Muguruza has been on an indefinite break from tennis since January 2023, playing her last match in Lyon, where she lost to Linda Noskova. It was the culmination of a four-match losing run.
Out of the blue, Muguruza was a regular absentee, and tennis fans began speculating what the Spaniard could have been up to for months. In April, she revealed that she was taking an extended break from tennis to recharge and honor her engagement to her boyfriend, Arthur Borges.
Last October, the 30-year-old shocked the tennis world when she announced that she had no intention of rejoining the tour, adding that her plans for the moment included sleeping, resting, and being with loved ones.
Since winning the 2021 WTA Finals in Guadalajara, Muguruza endured a surprise drop-off the following year, going 12-17 for the season. That wretched form spilled over into 2023 before she decided to take time away from tennis.
In a recent interview in a Spanish TV series, The Masters of Sewing, Muguruza offered a candid response to a question about playing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The two-time Grand Slam champion did not commit to play while pointing out the cons of being a pro on the tennis tour.
"I have taken a break, a sabbatical year. It was good for me, I needed it. The competition and the trips are very hard. We have to see how the issue of playing, not playing, develops. I let time pass and that's it. Little by little."
The former World No. 1 has represented Spain on two occasions at the Olympic Games, most recently in Tokyo, where she was beaten in the quarterfinal by Elena Rybakina in 2021.