So Garbine Muguruza. Not Naomi Osaka, who seemed almost unbeatable at the beginning of the year (except against Muguruza, who couldn't use two match points against the eventual winner from Japan at the Australian Open), not Ashleigh Barty, who after her Wimbledon victory in the second phase of her 2021 world tour on autopilot, and neither of the two teenagers who negotiated the title at the US Open. No, Muguruza, also only 28 years old, won the last big championship of the year in Guadalajara.

Much to the delight of the audience, who celebrated the Venezuelan-born Spaniard and her compatriot Paula Badosa during the days of the WTA Finals. For Muguruza it was the third title of the year, a decent record. In total, however, the Spaniard was only able to lift ten winners' cups - and that is actually not a reasonable result for a player with the class of Muguruza.

Muguruza successful with Martinez

Yes, in 2016 at Roland Garros and 2017 at Wimbledon, the now 28-year-old won two majors. But it could have been more. Not at the US Open, Garbine Muguruza traditionally doesn't feel at home in New York. But in Melbourne 2020, for example, when she lost to a very staid Sofia Kenin in the final. Or in 2018 in Roland Garros, where she let Simona Halep buy the cutting edge in the semifinals.

Of course, Muguruza was injured more and more easily over the years, and the cooperation with coach Sam Sumyk was not always frictionless. Since Conchita Martinez has been taking care of the trainer's concerns at Muguruza almost full-time, there has been a certain calming down. Even if Andrea Petkovic had noted at the US Open that what she appreciates about Muguruza is that the Spaniard is actually just as positively crazy as she is.

Djokovic against a trio

In any case, all hierarchies in women's tennis have been crazy since it was no longer called: Serena Williams against the field. Barty's win at Wimbledon was as much a predictable turn as that of Osaka in Melbourne. Barbora Krejcikova against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Emma Raducanu against Leylah Fernandez but these Grand Slam finals were by no means to be expected.

While Novak Djokovic's duel with his sports comrades Medvedev, Zverev and Tsitsipas for the big coups is emerging for men, everything seems more open than ever for women. From further teenage successes with majors or an outstanding Ash Barty to one last, really big hurray from Angelique Kerber to the (finally) first Grand Slam victory by Karolina Pliskova, everything seems possible. Garbine Muguruza is in the middle of the raffle.