Garbine Muguruza thriving in new role as on-air personality following retirement - "This is my new job now"

After announcing her retirement in 2024, Spanish tennis star Garbine Muguruza has found herself again involved with the sport she loves, albeit this time in a different fashion.

The 31-year old had taken an "indefinite hiatus" in January 2023, which spanned for over a year before finally making her retirement official one year later. Muguruza initially shifted her attention to family, Zumba and non-tennis related events.

However, the two-time Grand Slam champion found herself drawn back to the sport she loves, as she began doing stints in commentary, in addition to being named the tournament director of the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

"At the beginning, I never thought that I was going to come back here so quickly,” Muguruza admits. “I was like, ‘Okay, I’m retiring. Bye everybody!’ But only for a little bit, you know? Like, I don’t want to see a tennis ball for maybe three, four years.
“But then, I don’t know. I think that tennis wants me back! And 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."

Due to her charming and bubbling personality, Muguruza was invited to host Tennis Channel’s new VIP Tennis Lounge series. The experience strengthened her interest in the media and operations side of the sport.

"Everything I do, I feel like I’m the rookie everywhere! So even if it’s a familiar environment, it’s a new role for me that I love so far,” said the Spaniard. “I love seeing familiar faces and being a part of the tournaments—but in a different way. Being here with Tennis Channel, doing interviews, getting to talk to the players… this is my new job now, and I feel like it’s all a learning process."