Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza has announced her retirement from professional tennis at the age of 30.

Muguruza has not played competitively since bowing out of the Lyon Open in the first round in January 2023, soon after confirming she would be taking an indefinite break from the game.

The Spaniard’s temporary absence has now been made permanent and she departs the stage with a stellar career behind her, a catalogue of memories and a host of well-wishes.

"The time has come to say goodbye. It's been a long and successful career, but I feel the time is right to retire," said Muguruza.

"If 25 years ago when I started hitting my first tennis balls someone had told me that I would become a professional tennis player, that I would fulfil my dream of winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon, that I would become No. 1 in the world and win the WTA Finals, I would have thought this person was crazy.

"Tennis has given me a lot in this first part of my life. It has been a fantastic journey in which I have experienced unique situations. I have travelled all over the world and experienced many different cultures."

Caracas-born Muguruza will be remembered most for her two Grand Slam titles, the first coming at Roland Garros in 2016 where she defeated Serena Williams in the final – and dropped just one set all tournament.

Her second Grand Slam crown followed a year later at Wimbledon as she overcame Venus Williams in the final after becoming the first Spanish woman to reach an SW19 finale since Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in 1996.

Indeed, Muguruza, who was previously coached by Conchita Martinez, is the only player to have beaten both Williams sisters in a Grand Slam final and is one of 29 women in the Open Era to win multiple Grand Slam titles.

Her on-court exploits also saw her rise to No. 1 in the WTA Rankings in September 2017, becoming just the second Spanish player to do so after Sanchez Vicario more than 20 years earlier in 1995. She was also named ITF World Champion in 2017.

In total, she scooped 10 Tour-level singles titles, with her last coming at the 2021 WTA Finals in Guadalajara, and five WTA doubles titles – most recently at 2015 Tokyo alongside Carla Suarez Navarro, with whom she won three titles.

Muguruza is also a two-time Olympian having competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and then again in Tokyo at the delayed 2020 Games, reaching the quarter-finals at the latter.

She also played 14 matches across six ties for Spain in Billie Jean King Cup between 2015 and 2019, returning a 10-4 win-loss record in the competition across singles and doubles.

"Congratulations, Garbine, on your successful career – winning two Grand Slams and achieving world No. 1 status," said ITF President David Haggerty.

"You represented your country with distinction in Billie Jean King Cup and as an Olympian at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and at Tokyo 2020.

"Everyone at the ITF wishes you every success as you continue to inspire young girls and boys during the next stage of your career."

Happy retirement, Garbine.