MADRID — Garbine Muguruza has the potential to rise to the top of the world rankings, fellow Spaniards and former grand slam singles champions Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez said after the 22-year-old won the China Open on Sunday.
Muguruza claimed the biggest title of her fledgling career by beating Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky 7-5 6-4 and will climb to fourth in the rankings, a point behind third-placed Maria Sharapova, when they are updated on Monday.
Caracas-born Muguruza, whose has a Venezuelan mother and a Spanish father, broke into the top 10 after reaching the Wimbledon final in July, where she lost to number one Serena Williams.