Ms. Namita Nayyar:
When did you decide that you wanted to take your passion for the sport forward and take it up professionally?
Ms. Garbiñe Muguruza:
Well there was a big opportunity when I was Young. My brothers kept improving so they had to look for better training opportunities. They found this solution in Spain. They moved to Barcelona to live and practice at the Bruguera Academy. My Dad is from Spain so it was an easy decision. After one year in Barcelona, my parents decided that my mom and I should also move there to keep the family together and my dad would travel back and forward.
Once in Barcelona, I was 6, I started to play more and more, I studied at the tennis academy so for me all was about tennis. I began competing and winning, even against the older girls so when I was 14 I realized that I could make tennis my profession and started to plan my life more, and more around it.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
With the extensive energy required for the sport you have to keep up your fitness levels too. What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine?
Ms. Garbiñe Muguruza:
It depends on the time of the year. For example, I just finished my preseason. I just left for Brisbane where I will be playing my first tournament of the year. Pre-season is a very important part of the year. We train very hard for 5 weeks. Specially the physical part, with 2 main goals. First to get stronger and quicker on the court, and also we work on the body to prevent injuries. The Tour´s calendar is very intense and long so it is important that the entire body is fit to be able to handle the competition.
So in the preseason its a lot about strength. And during the season depends on how am I feeling, and even on what surface I am playing on. For example after the clay season we start playing on the grass. For the grass training, I will work specifically on my legs, on my quadriceps, as you have to bend your legs a lot more when playing on grass (as the bounce of the ball is lower than on clay).
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take any special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Garbiñe Muguruza:
I don’t have a set diet, but of course I watch what I eat. I have improved that a lot this last year. Before I would eat anything, lots of meat, carbs, sweets…. Now I know I cannot do that because my performance will be affected not only at matches but specially at practices when you have to put the hard work in. I try to eat lots of veggies, fish, fruits… everything really but no fast food, no sodas, … trying to eat organic when I can cook… things like that. And always with some dark chocolate close by. But I treat my body as a F1 car, and everything counts when it comes down to performing at your best.
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