Conchita Martinez knows Garbine Muguruza well enough to notice when things are starting to click for her.
“I looked at her strokes, the way she's moving. I just can see it, how the ball comes out of her racquet, how she's moving, how she's getting to the ball. When she's getting fast to the ball, everything looks good, that's when she's playing her best tennis. There's no secret,” said Martinez, who is enjoying a tremendous fortnight in which she was inducted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and has helped guide Muguruza to Saturday’s Australian Open final.
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“There is a lot of work behind this preparation for this tournament, for the beginning of the season. We had a great pre-season. We worked on a lot of aspects of her tennis, her fitness, everything. I think it's looking sharp.”
The Spanish coach, a Wimbledon champion in 1994 and a runner-up at the Australian Open in 1998, is pleased with how well Muguruza has adjusted to her various opponents so far this tournament. The two-time Grand Slam winner has upped her aggression when necessary, posting some impressive numbers at the net, but has also been able to hold back in certain situations – a balance Martinez is particularly happy to see.
The first time Martinez coached Muguruza, it was on a temporary basis in the absence of the Spaniard’s former coach Sam Sumyk, midway through 2017.
Muguruza went to Wimbledon that year in a tricky spot. Her title defence at Roland Garros a few weeks earlier came to a tearful halt in the fourth round. She cried during her press conference after that loss to Kristina Mladenovic. On the lawns of Eastbourne in the week prior to Wimbledon, Muguruza lost her opener 6-1, 6-0 to Barbora Strycova.
Martinez helped her regain her confidence and they enjoyed a historic run to the Wimbledon title together, as Muguruza became just the second Spanish woman – alongside Martinez – to lift the singles trophy at the All England Club. Any observer clearly saw how well they got along and how loose Muguruza was acting like, on the court and off it.
The parallels between Martinez’ 1994 title run and Muguruza’s Wimbledon triumph made it all seem like fate.
In 1994, Martinez was 22, and facing a 37-year-old Martina Navratilova who was already a legend at Wimbledon. Muguruza, 23, faced a 37-year-old Venus Williams in her 2017 final, trying to stop the American from winning a sixth title at SW19.
Martinez had defeated Navratilova on clay in Rome the same year she claimed that famous Wimbledon win over the Czech-born American. Muguruza beat Williams in Rome two months prior to her success in south-west London.
“It was meant to be,” Martinez said at the time.
While their fruitful first stint together felt like destiny, their reunion this time around is more about hard work. Martinez parted ways with Karolina Pliskova last November and immediately joined forces with Muguruza, who ended her four-year partnership with Sumyk. The 26-year-old is back in a major final for the first time since Wimbledon 2017. She came to Melbourne unseeded at a Slam for the first time since 2014, but worked her way through a tough draw to set up a title showdown against Sofia Kenin.
Five weeks of pre-season training in San Diego allowed Martinez and Muguruza to target different parts of her game, which eventually helped the ex-world No.1 regain confidence heading into 2020.
“It was a new beginning. It was a new year. Everybody starts from zero,” said Martinez.
“You got to forget the previous years. If you have good work behind you, you going to trust yourself better. So that's what we did. It was a combination of things. It's not only one thing. We worked everything at the right moment.
“At the beginning she needed more fitness. We did more fitness. Progressively we changed a few things. I know her well, so I know what I want to work with her. She was open. No complaints. She's been working hard, so...”
Martinez feels Muguruza has the “right attitude at the moment” and that she’s extremely focused – which has been evident throughout this tournament, especially after her semifinal win over Simona Halep that was a brutal battle in hot conditions and ended with a very muted celebration for the world No.32.
Before she began her pre-season training, Muguruza went on what she describes as a “life-changing experience” climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak.
Martinez believes a unique trip like that has certainly made a positive impact on her charge.
“I think the mental part, you have to stay very tough. I don't know because I haven't done it. Her stories, it's super cold where you can barely rest and you have to continue walking, where you had to overcome your fears and also be strong to continue. I think that gives you something mentally, that's for sure,” said the 47-year-old.
“I think she felt great about doing that. Not maybe everybody can reach the summit. But she did.”
Does she have enough in her to hit a new peak at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday? We’re about to find out.