But the reprised first-round match is noteworthy for both players, as it is also Garcia’s first match since she shut down her own 2024 season in September, with the former world No. 4 revealing a recent struggle with anxiety and a “toxix mindset” as she tied her self-worth to results. Now ranked No. 58, and newly engaged to her “Tennis Insider Club” podcast co-host Borja Duran, Garcia says she hopes to find “joy” on the court in 2025 (and beyond) in the waning days of her career.
“I don’t want winning a Grand Slam or returning to the Top 5 to be my goal anymore,” the 30-year-old confessed in a November follow-up post. “I want those achievements to be the outcome—the result of being happy, working hard, and continuously improving as a player and a person.”
“The focus is no longer on the destination, but on embracing the journey, with all its challenges and beauty. Winning has to be the outcome, not the goal,” she added.
“I want to do it not for the trophies, not for the rankings or for my environment’s expectations or dreams, but for the person I’ll become through the process.”
