Muguruza says top ranking no longer ‘that important’

Spain’s Garbine Muguruza celebrates winning her quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis tournament against Russia’s Maria Sharapova in two sets 6-2, 6-1, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, June 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza said on Wednesday that she now gives “less importance” to becoming the world number one ahead of her French Open semi-final with Simona Halep.

Former number one Muguruza takes on current incumbent Halep on Thursday with the winner to be assured of the top ranking as well as a place in the Roland Garros final.

But the Spaniard doesn’t feel it is held in such high regard as five different players have been ranked the world’s best player in the last 12 months.

“I mean, it’s not that important, because it’s constantly this thing going on, you know… since last year,” she said after a crushing 6-2, 6-1 last-eight victory over Maria Sharapova in Paris.

“So I give less importance to that. Like, before, I gave it a lot of importance so that’s why you’re fighting every week, and I got there.

“And now it’s just — it’s good to be able to play all the time for that, but every week there is a new chance, there is a new thing.”

There were five players in with a chance of supplanting Halep at the start of the tournament, but Caroline Wozniacki, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova and Caroline Garcia all failed to make the quarter-finals.

The 24-year-old Muguruza holds a 3-1 record over Halep, with the winner of the last-four clash to face either Sloane Stephens or her fellow American Madison Keys in the final.

Muguruza, the 2016 French Open champion, was world number one for four weeks from September 11 to October 8 last year.