Nothing is certain in sport, but Garbine Muguruza seems to be heading right to the top. She is perfectly placed to mount an all-out assault on the biggest prizes in tennis over the next few years, starting with the WTA Finals in Singapore – courtesy of an excellent 2015 season.

The 22-year-old Spaniard made a superb run to the Wimbledon final, beating Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki, and Angelique Kerber on the way. Muguruza also reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and made the fourth round of the Australian Open. She only disappointed in the US Open, where she lost in the second round to the in-form Johanna Konta.

Muguruza also reached the final of the Wuhan Open, the semifinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and the quarterfinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. If she had not encountered Serena Williams in both the Wimbledon final and the fourth round in Melbourne, she could have had an even better year.

Despite having a strong year up to that point, Muguruza’s poor performances in the US Open Series (she won one match in three tournaments) threatened to spoil her hard work. But she has regrouped impressively so far in the Asian swing, and her gutsy three-set win over Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the last 16 of the China Open – on her 22nd birthday – sealed her place in Singapore.

When on form, Muguruza is a clutch competitor who enjoys the big occasions and is capable of hitting her best shots on the most important points. Often, opponents believe they have pinned her into a corner, only to be forced to stand and watch as the ball flies past them for a winner. It is this powerful, clean hitting that means the Spaniard is capable of beating anyone on her day – something she proved when she stunned Serena in the second round of the 2014 French Open to announce herself to the tennis world.

Her style is similar in many ways to veteran champions Petra Kvitova and Maria Sharapova. All three women are tall, powerful athletes who take the ball early and are capable of dominating the court and appearing virtually unplayable at times. Players are not safe when they go a break up against any of them, since all three can raise their game, blast them off the court, and restore parity in a matter of minutes. They also inflict the occasional bagel set.

But Muguruza’s game is not all about power, as opponents and coaches have noticed. In 2014, Adidas coach Mats Merkel said, “Her game is big, and she hits the ball hard. At the same time, she can mix it up pretty easily, something a lot of players out there don’t like.” And Serena’s coach Patrick Mouratoglou described her during Wimbledon as a “super-dangerous opponent.”

Radwanska was even more complimentary after losing to the Spaniard in the Wimbledon semifinal. She said, “She’s very solid from both sides. Even if she uses so much power, she also has good direction, mixing up. That’s what makes her a very good player. We’re going to see her more often in the second weeks of the Grand Slams, that’s for sure.”

Martina Navratilova also believes Muguruza has all the necessary attributes for success. The legendary champion observed, “She’s got all the goods. She has a great head on her shoulders, she wants it, she’s not rushing, and she’s developing in her own time. She’s got the body for it.”

These are impressive snapshots of the hype surrounding Muguruza’s potential, and she has many admirers besides Merkel, Mouratoglou, Radwanska, and Navratilova. All that remains is for her to go out on court and continue to set the tennis world alight.