Muguruza wins at Monterrey Open after Azarenka withdraws due to injury

Spain’s Garbiñe Muguruza on Sunday retained her title at the Monterrey Open after Victoria Azarenka , of Belarus, withdrew due to injury from the final in the second set trailing by 3-1 after losing the first set 6-1.

Muguruza, ranked 19th worldwide, started out the match in excellent form, breaking her opponent’s service in the first game and using her two-handed backhand to great effect.

She never looked back, as she sailed to a smashing victory in the first set, although the No. 67-ranked Azarenka gave a good performance in the fourth game with three break-points - but she could not turn things around.

In the second set, things quickly went from bad to worse for Azarenka - who has been plagued with on- and off-court injuries - when she began having issues with her leg, receiving treatment during a medical timeout, and the score stood at 3-1 in favor of the Spaniard when her rival withdrew from the match after 66 minutes of play.

With the win, Muguruza takes home her first trophy of this season - her seventh overall.

For Azarenka, who is a two-time grand slam winner, it was her first final appearance since returning to pro tennis after giving birth to her son in December 2016. She had not won a tourney since she defeated Muguruza, coincidentally, in the Master 1,000 in Miami in 2016, the only time the pair had faced off until Sunday.

“It’s a great feeling to win at Monterrey. It’s been a year without a title and I’m coming back to get it here, where I’ve received a lot of support. It’s tough to play against a rival who is not well and I hope she recovers quickly,” said Muguruza after the match.