“Even a junior would beat me at my No. 1”: Garbine Muguruza on the huge gap between men and women in tennis

Former World No. 1 Garbiñe Muguruza has addressed the vast differences between men's and women's tennis as anticipation builds for the exhibition match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios. The two-time Grand Slam champion offered a candid assessment, stating that even at the peak of her career, a male junior player could have defeated her.

Comparisons between male and female tennis players have abounded in recent days, with significant attention focused on the upcoming exhibition between Kyrgios and Sabalenka. The Australian—currently ranked No. 668 and lacking match rhythm—will face the four-time major champion Sabalenka, who has dominated the WTA Tour over the last two seasons.

The duel, set to take place on December 28 in Dubai, is billed as "The Battle of the Sexes," a reference to the iconic exhibition between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs more than 50 years ago. Both Kyrgios and Sabalenka have displayed great rapport in the weeks leading up to the event, participating in various interviews to promote the clash.

Recently, the retired Spanish star was announced as the new co-director of the Madrid Open, drawing significant media attention in Spain. During an interview with El Partidazo de Cope, the former World No. 1 was asked about the upcoming Kyrgios vs. Sabalenka exhibition and was pressed on what ranking of male player she believes she could have beaten during her prime.

“Being at my No. 1, I think even a junior beats me,” Muguruza assured. “Look, I've had sparring partners, a ton. Every time I had to play a practice set, I would get angry because how could it be that I didn't win a set. It wasn't a person dedicated to professional tennis.”

Muguruza explained that the gap is about much more than power alone. Years of experience and personal insight, including playing against her own brothers who were professional athletes, inform her perspective. “It’s a huge difference. It’s not just power. Physically, the muscles, the resistance a man can have when playing a match. It’s many things,” she added. “I have two brothers who were professionals and I’ve never beaten them. A guy who is ranked 1,000 in the world or has no ranking can be very superior to a top-10 on the WTA circuit.”

The Spaniard has two older brothers, Asier and Igor Muguruza, both of whom had budding tennis careers, though they never reached the big stages or broke into the top 1000 of the Tour.

Muguruza ended her career back in 2023, at just 31 years old, following a period away from her best form. The Spaniard—champion of the 2021 WTA Finals—was unable to rediscover her level in subsequent seasons. After a sharp drop in the rankings, she took a break from her career after playing just a couple of tournaments in early 2023. While many hoped for a potential return, a year later Muguruza announced her retirement, confirming she would not return to the courts.

Since then, the Spaniard has been busy with various personal projects, ranging from her marriage and pregnancy to roles within the tennis world, such as working as a commentator for the Tennis Channel and serving as tournament director for the WTA Finals in Riyadh. Most recently, the former World No. 1 was announced as the co-director of the Madrid Open, a role she will share with Feliciano Lopez.

Muguruza enjoyed a highly reputable career, winning a total of 10 titles, including the 2016 French Open—defeating Serena Williams in the final—and Wimbledon 2017, where she overcame Venus Williams in the final. The Spaniard reached two other Grand Slam finals and won three WTA 1000 titles, in addition to her last title secured at the 2021 Finals, beating Anett Kontaveit in the championship match.