Garbine Muguruza’s campaign at the Brisbane International has ended in disappointment after she was forced to retire in her semifinal match against France’s Alize Cornet.
Struggling to move on the court, the French Open champion decided to call it a day after going behind 1-4, in just under 30 minutes. The withdrawal comes at the end of what has been a heavy week for the Spaniard. During her first two matches in the tournament, Muguruza spent five hours and 48 minutes on the court to outlast Sam Stosur and Daria Kasatkina. Then in the quarter-finals, she downed Svetlana Kuznetsova in just under two hours.
“I was far from 100% today. There’s pain in my abductor, but I am also fatigued.” Muguruza said after her retirement.
“I went out there. I tried, but Cornet was playing good. I couldn’t match her level today. I had some pains and I thought it was more smart to take care of my body, especially being the first week of the year.” She added.
The setback comes less than two weeks before the start of the first major of the tournament in Melbourne, where Muguruza will be bidding to progress beyond the fourth round for the first time in her career. Looking ahead to the event, the 23-year-old is confident that she will be able to recover in time.
“It will not stop me (from playing the Australian Open),’’ she said.
“I felt a little exhausted from my two long matches and I was far from 100 per cent. I tried but Aliza was playing so well.’’
Following the retirement, Cornet will now play in her first WTA Final since her run to the Hobart title 12 months ago. Earlier in the week the Frenchwoman also knocked out Elena Vesnina and Dominika Cibulkova.
“Of course, it’s not the way I wanted to get to the final but its part of the game,” Cornet said. “We understand sometimes we have some physical issues. Tennis is more and more tough on the body.
“But well, it’s good for me because I will have a little bit of rest before the big final tomorrow.”
Currently ranked 41st in the world, Cornet is targeting her sixth title on the WTA Tour. In the final she will play either Elina Svitolina or Karolina Pliskova.
