Muguruza eyes deep run in Morocco

GarbineMuguruza - Cropped

Needing match practice, Garbine Muguruza is heading to Morocco for the Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem.

The Spaniard's clay-court season started with just two matches in Stuttgart, where she went down to Simona Halep in the second round.

Muguruza will head to Marrakesh for the WTA International event as she looks to get her season going ahead of the French Open.

Having needed a wildcard due to a late entry, the powerful Muguruza will be the top seed.

All of the eight seeds are ranked in the top 50.

Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky, Italian Flavia Pennetta and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina join Muguruza as the top four seeds.

Mona Barthel, Roberta Vinci, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Monica Puig are the other seeds.

Muguruza reached the French Open quarter-finals last year, having stunned Serena Williams early on at Roland Garros.

After a promising start to 2015, including a semi-final appearance in Dubai, her year has slowed.

Bacsinszky has enjoyed a stellar year, winning titles in Acapulco and Monterrey, and she is sure to be a threat.

Vinci's 2015 has been difficult with just five wins from her 12 singles matches.

In a good sign for Muguruza, Spaniards have made the past three finals at the event.

Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor is the defending champion, while Lourdes Dominguez Lino (2013) and Laura Pous-Tio (2012) are recent beaten finalists.

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