LONDON: Garbine Muguruza is happy to steal the spotlight from fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal as the French Open champion sets her sights on a return to the Wimbledon final.
Nadal's exploits traditionally hog the attention of tennis fans in Spain and across the world, but the 14-time Grand Slam winner is absent from Wimbledon this year due to the left wrist injury that forced him to pull out of the French Open.
Muguruza's shock French Open final victory over world number one Serena Williams brought her a first Grand Slam crown at the venue where Nadal won nine times.
The 30-year-old's decline has coincided with the rise of Muguruza and the 22-year-old, whose engaging personality seems ready-made for celebrity, appears to be relishing the limelight.
"I thought about that the other day when I saw that Rafa was not playing," Muguruza told reporters at Wimbledon on Saturday.
"For sure, people are looking more at what I'm doing, will be watching me more.
"That's fine. It's a good sign. I like it. I'll try to do my best.
"I was so happy, finally this year, I did better than Nadal in French Open. I'm like, This is so weird."
Muguruza arrived to her press conference proudly wearing the red shirt of the Spain national football team and revealed she has been eagerly following their progress at Euro 2016.
Spain face Italy in the last 16 on Monday and Muguruza will be tuning in if she's not on court at Wimbledon.
"I mean, in Spain, if you don't follow football, you're dead. You don't have conversation," she laughed.
"Everybody is like, Did you see that goal? If I miss a goal, I cannot talk.
"I think Spain has a great team. I'm like, C'mon, guys, we got to win."
"I just have to show a little bit my support by wearing the Spanish jersey."
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