Naomi Osaka has recently decided to make a change in her coaching team, and her new coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has now shed more light on their partnership and goals.
The Japanese player returned to the sport this year after she spent over a year away. Initially, Osaka was taking time away because of her mental health, and during that period, she announced her pregnancy, taking further time away from the tennis courts.
Once she returned to the WTA Tour this year, the four-time Grand Slam champion seemed to be more motivated than ever. However, her return was marked by a slight controversy, as her ex-coach, Wim Fissette, split with his player at the time, Qinwen Zheng, to start working with Osaka again.
Zheng was furious about that, but Osaka’s stint with Fissette didn’t last long. The two split recently, and in the meantime, both already started working with someone else. While Fissette joined the team of current World No. 1, Iga Swiatek, Osaka started working with Patrick Mouratoglou.
Although Osaka’s first tournament under Mouratoglou was going well, she was forced to retire from her match against Coco Gauff because of a back injury that kept her out of play since then.
The Japanese player hasn’t gotten to talk to the media since her participation in Beijing, but her new coach, Mouratoglou, recently hosted a press conference, during which he also talked about their partnership.
Speaking during the press conference ahead of his UTS event in Stuttgart, the French coach spoke about their partnership, revealing that they had been in contact already before, but at the time, he was tied to Holger Rune.
“One year ago we already had
“One year ago we already had discussions because she was looking for a coach but at this time I was with Holger (Rune) so it did not happen. After this year’s US Open, again we had contact because she wanted to change something.”
However, when they connected again this year, something immediately clicked, and they even had a few practice sessions together before the official announcement of their partnership came.
“I think it worked well between us. It is very simple the way it happened. I am excited because I think she plays incredible, she is obviously a champion, won several slams and has been to number one. I can sense her motivation, a very, very big motivation to comeback as high as she can.”
With a new player, Mouratoglou obviously has new goals. He worked with the likes of Serena Williams, who is a 23-time Grand Slam champion, but also with the likes of Rune, who is a young player still developing his game.
Osaka is somewhere in between the two. She has experience winning majors, but she’s also at the stage of her tennis career when she can still improve and challenge for the Grand Slams again. Mouratoglou’s first goal? The 2025 Australian Open.
“For a long time she has not been able to play her best tennis. That is my challenge, to bring her back to her best level and if possible even better. You never know when exactly things all click together.”
“The only thing you know is that it will happen at some time. You have to believe in it but you don’t know when. That is the next big thing and we will do everything that is possible to perform already Down Under.”
