National tennis experienced a historic night with the triumph of Garbiñe Muguruza in Guadalajara (Mexico) by winning the WTA Finals and being the first Spaniard to be a ‘master’. Garbiñe already had two Grand Slams (Roland Garros, in 2016, and Wimbledon, in 2017) and now she conquers the tournament that brings together the best players of the year. The player who came closest before was Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, who lost in the 1993 final against the German Steffi Graff. In men, there are two Spaniards who have this title in their record: Manolo Orantes (1976) and Alex Corretja (1998). It is one of the few major tournaments that has eluded Rafa Nadal in his award-winning career.
This award, considered by many a ‘fifth’ great after the four Grand Slams (it is at the level of points for the winners), It is the 37th great success of Spanish tennis, distributed as follows: 31 majors in men (twenty from Nadal, four from Santana, two from Bruguera and one from Ferrero, Gimeno, Orantes, Moyá and Costa) and 7 in women (four from Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, two from Muguruza and one from Conchita Martínez, current coach of Garbiñe). In the case of the woman from Caracas, she is, obviously, the first Spanish woman with a Grand Slam and a teacher. In men, only Orantes achieved it.
In women, with Garbiñe, there are two national women who have reached the final of the tournament after the aforementioned Sánchez Vicario in 1993. In the men’s category, the number of players who fought for the title is greater: Moyá, Ferrero, Ferrer, Nadal (on two occasions)… in addition to the winners Orantes and Corretja. The latter beat Moyá in 1998 in the only Spanish final in the history of the tournament. The good health of the women’s modality was seen in Guadalajara (Mexico), with the Spanish semifinal between Garbiñe and Badosa. And now, for more.
Spanish winners in major tournaments
Grand Slam
Nadal: 20
Santana and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 4:
Bruguera and Muguruza: 2
Ferrero, Gimeno, Moyá, Orantes, Costa and Conchita: 1
In total, 31 Grand Slams in boys (with eight different tennis players) and 7 in girls (with three)
Masters Cup
Orantes, Corretja and Muguruza: 1