7 things to know about Serena Williams' conqueror Garbine Muguruza

Garbine Muguruza at the Miami Open - Day 8

Garbine Muguruza's upset win over Serena Williams in the second round of the French Open was akin to a cataclysm. With her stunning victory, an already open draw (following Li Na's upset) has been stretched even wider.

The result has raised several eyebrows about the state of the defending champion's game. At the same time, it has also thrust Muguruza into the limelight, making the 20-year-old the cynosure of eyes all around.

Garbine Muguruza is an unknown entity in many ways. But given the way she convincingly defeated Serena Williams in straight sets, her name and reputation don't seem likely to remainshrouded in mystery for too long.

Here's a compilation of the seven mostly unknown aspects about Garbine Muguruza:

#1 How is her name pronounced?

Although her surname is usually pronounced as ‘Muguru-th-a’ with the ‘zee’ pronounced with a ‘th’ sound, the correct way to pronounce her name is actually ‘Muguru-s-a’, with the ‘s’ replacing the ‘zee’ sound. This is because in the Spanish alphabets, the alphabet ‘zee’ is pronounced with the ‘s’ sound.

#2 What's her real nationality?

Although Garbine Muguruza plays for Spain, she's part Spanish and part Venezuelan; her father is from Spain and her mother from Venezuela. She was born in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital city, and her full name is Garbine Muguruza Blanco, with Blanco being her mother's maiden surname.

#3 Who's her favorite tennis player?

Incidentally, Garbine Muguruza’s favorite tennis players are Serena Williams – the opponent she ousted in the second round at Roland Garros – and Pete Sampras. Despite facing her idol on the other side of the net, Muguruza didn’t let herself get overwhelmed by the moment. That’s commendable concentration!

#4 She's a social media buff!

Garbine Muguruza is very active on social media

Like most sporting professionals these days, even Garbine Muguruza is an avid social media buff. She has a vast fan following on both Facebook and Twitter, which is sure to increase even more after her second round heroics over the tournament top seed.

Just minutes after her victory, Muguruza posted the above picture on her Facebook page, with the caption “Very happy:)”.

#5 Off the court, she's your regular girl-next-door

Garbine Muguruza seen during a press conference at a tournament

Garbine Muguruza is known to be an aggressive player, a fact that she demonstrated in her second round match against Serena Williams. But off-court, Muguruza is a totally relaxed person who loves to cook, read and listen to music to unwind.

#6 What has she done in her career so far?

Garbine Muguruza with the 2014 Hobart trophy

2014 has been a breakthrough year for Garbine Muguruza; she’s made an incredibly strong start to the season. The Spaniard won her first WTA singles title after qualifying into the main round at Hobart in January, and won her first doubles title at the same event partnering compatriot Maria Teresa Torro Flor.

This was followed by her making it to the fourth round of the Australian Open, her best appearance at any Major since becoming a pro in 2011. Needless to say, there’s no limit to how much further she can progress in the coming years.

#7 She loves animals!

Garbine Muguruza posing with a dog

Puppies are usually considered irresistible; you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who's immune to their cuteness and charm. Garbine Muguruza is no exception to this, and loves cuddling puppies as much as she loves being a tennis player.