Conchita Martinez believes Sam Sumyk is the right man to coach Spanish world No3 Garbine Muguruza, who confirmed last week that she will continue working with the Frenchman next season.
Muguruza, who started working with Sumyk on a trial basis at the start of the Asian swing, has had a sensational first few weeks with her new coach, making the Wuhan final, winning Beijing and reaching the WTA Finals last four to end the year as the world No3.
– Singapore: Radwanska beats Kvitova to win WTA Finals
She also placed runner-up in the WTA Finals doubles tournament, alongside Carla Suarez Navarro.
Muguruza revealed she and Sumyk will be working together next season and she will go to Manhattan Beach, California to train with him there in the offseason.
“Sam has got some great results with other players. I think he’s a hard-working guy and very nice and quiet. Serious. He knows about this game, he was with Vika (Victoria Azarenka) maybe five years, similar type of game and I think he can be very positive for Garbine,” said Martinez, who is the only Spanish woman to win the Wimbledon singles trophy (in 1994).
Martinez, the captain of both the Spanish Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams, flew to Singapore the day of the semi-finals to support Muguruza and Suarez Navarro, and watched the former lose to Agnieszka Radwanska in a brutal three-set battle in the last four.
A clearly-fatigued Muguruza played for eight consecutive days in Singapore, juggling both singles and doubles and it appeared to catch up with her on semi-finals day against Radwanska.
Asked if Muguruza shouldn’t have competed in doubles to be more fresh for singles, Martinez said: “What can you say? It’s nice to make it in singles and doubles. It’s what you fight for. I’ve played singles and doubles before, girls play singles and doubles before.
“Obviously if you don’t have that tension, your body is more rested. So that’s a decision she needs to make and she also was happy to make it in the doubles as well. Could it have been different? You never know. But yes, if you play less, then your body is more rested that’s for sure.”
Muguruza, who lost the doubles final 6-0, 6-3 to Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza yesterday, admits it will be difficult to continue playing with Suarez Navarro full-time next year but the pair will discuss it when they are back in Barcelona.
“It will be hard to continue as a team but with doubles, you have to play,” Muguruza said on her future with Suarez Navarro. “We will have a good chat about it when we are in Barcelona. We have the Rio Olympic Games coming up so surely we will play together in at least one tournament.”
