Muguruza to become world No. 1 next week

New York: Spain’s Garbine Muguruza will become world number one when the WTA rankings are released next week, dethroning Karolina Pliskova after the Czech fell to American CoCo Vandeweghe in the quarter-finals of the US Open on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old Wimbledon champion reached the second week of the US. Open for the first time this year before falling to Petra Kvitova in the fourth round.

“I’m very excited to share with all of you my dream of becoming the next world number one on Monday,” Muguruza said in a video message posted to her Twitter account on Wednesday.

“I would never be in this position without the help of my family, my team, and my fans. Like I said before it’s a dream come true, so hopefully I can keep it up as long as possible.” Muguruza, who won the French Open last year, ends Pliskova’s eight-week reign at the top of the rankings, a position the big-serving 25-year-old admitted came with extra pressure to perform.

Muguruza has eight top 10 wins this year including victories over two reigning number ones, Angelique Kerber at Wimbledon and Pliskova in Cincinnati.

The success of the American women at this year’s Open is nothing else than a reward from the Williams sisters’ inspiration to the younger generation, according to former world number one Mats Wilander.

Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and CoCo Vandeweghe all qualified for the semi-finals, to be played later on Thursday.

“It’s the resurgence of American tennis, even though on the men’s side John Isner and Sam Querrey had a chance to go the semis or the final and they screwed that up,” Wilander, who is in New York as an analyst for Eurosport, said in his daily chat.

“Querrey still got to the quarter-finals but with the women it’s like an awakening of American tennis with Serena not being here. Obviously Venus is pulling everyone alongside her.” Asked to elaborate on the reasons why the younger generation was blooming, the Swede said he thought the Williams sisters had served as an inspiration for the likes of Vandeweghe, Stephens and Keys who are all in their early to mid-20s.

“They come from the Williams sisters. They are about 13-14 younger than Venus and 10-11 than Serena. Serena and Venus were 17-18 years old when they started winning,” Wilander said.

“Keys, Stephens and Vandeweghe were like nine, that makes the difference. That’s what makes the difference for them between playing soccer, tennis or whatever these girls do.

“It does not affect a 15-year-old in the same way.

“You have to be young enough, and usually it’s 10 years after that you see the benefits or the reward of a super star like Serena or Venus. That’s when you get that inspiration.”