Born in Venezuela and raised in Spain, the 31-year-old newlywed currently lives in Switzerland with her husband, Arthur Borges, and their pug, Gordi. She still hasn’t played tennis “seriously” since calling time on her career, save for a few kids’ clinics. But according to social media, her days are filled with travel, work with the Laureus Foundation and physical pursuits such as padel and skiing. That’s no surprise for a player who once summited Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, as a way to unwind during the 2019 off-season.
For the two-time Grand Slam champion, what has come as a surprise is her growing interest in the media and operations side of the sport. She’s far from the first tennis-player-turned-TV-commentator, but she approaches the role with the same focused intensity she once reserved for big finals.
“I keep up so much with the tennis world now because I’m commenting, and I want to be on top of things,” she says. “I want to be prepared. I want to see who’s winning and who’s losing—I want to know everything.
“It’s entertaining to do it from home, and then once in a while come and visit the tournaments.”
This—it’s what I know. It’s a part of me; it’s in my heart. So I’m happy to be here again. Garbine Muguruza