Patrick Mouratoglou, the acclaimed French tennis coach, spoke to The Guardian about his experiences with some of the sport’s biggest names, including Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and the challenges posed by rising stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Mouratoglou first gained international attention guiding Marcos Baghdatis to the 2006 Australian Open final, but it was his partnership with Serena Williams that truly cemented his reputation. Together, they won 10 of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles. Reflecting on their collaboration, Mouratoglou told The Guardian that their success was built on mutual trust and motivation. “We had big trust on both sides. I knew how to motivate her, how to provoke her to be more competitive,” he said. Their partnership began during a tough period for Serena, who had suffered a first-round loss at the 2012 French Open, her first ever early exit at a Grand Slam. To rebuild her confidence, Mouratoglou and Serena developed creative strategies. For instance, ahead of Roland Garros, he instructed her to serve only second serves during the Madrid warm-up to make her work for every point. The approach forced her to stay fully focused and build confidence on clay, helping her achieve a remarkable 28-0 record that year.
Mouratoglou also discussed Serena’s post-pregnancy fitness journey. He explained that tennis demands precise physical efficiency. “Even one kilo can make a difference. Tennis involves sudden direction changes at high speed, and every fraction of a second counts. I told her this isn’t about how she looks; it’s about her performance. Her movement was affected, and for her to return to the top, she needed to be as efficient as possible.” He acknowledged the challenges of age and recovery. “Serena was older, and the body doesn’t bounce back the same. The risk of injury is higher. We had a few disagreements because she felt judged. But my focus was on her tennis, not her appearance. If she wanted to make history again, we had to be very efficient on every level, including this.” Turning to the current men’s game, Mouratoglou addressed the dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner. He compared it to the Federer-Nadal era, noting that players who believe they can break through are the ones who succeed, citing Novak Djokovic as an example. On Naomi Osaka, Mouratoglou explained that their partnership ended after 10 months because, despite her strong practice and mindset, match results were inconsistent. “She needed to feel lighter on court to express her tennis freely. There are no hard feelings. She’s an incredible competitor, and seeing her regain top form is fantastic for women’s tennis.” Mouratoglou’s reflections offer a rare insight into the strategy, psychology, and attention to detail that define champions, showing that success in tennis is as much about mental and physical efficiency as it is about talent.
