After scaling Mount Kilimanjaro, the climb back up the world rankings doesn’t seem quite so daunting for former world No.1 Garbine Muguruza.
The 26-year-old Spaniard traded an off-season holiday on the beach for a five-day expedition in sub-zero temperatures to the top of Africa’s highest peak.
They reached the summit at Uhuru Peak, at 5895m, on the fifth day before hiking for another 16 hours straight to get back to base camp.
The change in preparation appears to be working, with Muguruza reaching the semi-finals in Shenzhen and quarter-finals in Hobart because illness forced her withdrawal.
And she is now through to the third round of the Open after seeing off Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3 3-6 6-3, in a match lasting two hours and 21 minutes.
“It was incredible. I wanted a challenge outside of tennis and I have never done anything like it,” the two-time grand slam champion said of Kilimanjaro.
“You’re climbing that mountain and it’s only you.
“You don’t get any award, any prize, any photo, any nothing up there and it’s really challenging you physically and mentally to be there.”
Muguruza hit 34 winners against Tomljanovic and was particularly effective at the net, winning 24 of 28 points.
“It was a tough battle, we both fought until the end,” said Muguruza, who has reunited with coach Conchita Martinez.
“I’m just happy the way I played and how I managed to close it up on those, in those final games – it was a tricky match.”
Muguruza reached the top ranking in September 2017, the same year she won Wimbledon to go with her 2016 French Open title, but her career has stalled, with her ranking down to 32.
She hoped another climb was on the cards but otherwise what happy with her form.
“I’m happy to win matches like this where there’s stuff and you’ve got to hang in there and, you know, you get out with a smile,” she said.