Athletes with phenomena and sense of accomplishment often get caught off guard. How can tennis players like four-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Naomi Osaka get to where she might question her abilities?
Even the greats of all time, this has been happening – a part of long-time coach and tennis media Impresario Patrick Mouratoglou, who spent most of his career studying. On the scene of her many of the greatest triumphs, he directed the best Serena Williams.
In September 2024, her comeback season was three quarters after her daughter Shai hired Mouratogou to replace Wim Fissette. Osaka reunited with Fissette the previous summer (coaching between 2019 and 2022) to prepare for her return to competitive tennis in January last year. At first, she was very tolerant of the relationship between improvement and outcome. When she beat Iga Swiatek a little bit at last year’s French Open, Osaka didn’t refuse: “Obviously, the result is not the current result, but I think I’m holding every game,” she said in a press conference.
When the results were still not fruitful, Osaka found herself struggling with confidence again and decided to leave the coach, who won two of the four Grand Slam titles.
Osaka, 27, has not won any titles with Mouratoglou, but she is already close. When she ended her match against Clara Tauson in the final of the Auckland Classic in New Zealand in January, she had to retire from a belly injury and had played the best tennis ball since she became a mother in the past five months when her body allowed her to allow her to do so.
Osaka defeated Karolina Muchova in the second round at the Australian Open, one of the world’s most talented players, relaxed in the same stage four months before the U.S. Open, where Osaka said: “I just need to believe in myself more.” Osaka was talking about winning the last two sets after losing the first 6-1, but she could have rediscovered her swagger and ability to take out her racquets from her opponents when she talked about her health.
That was not accidental.
Mouratoglou, who was preparing for a comeback with her abdominal injury in February, prepared for her return from a February interview, had been struggling to face those moments when she felt her belief slip and figured out how to overcome them.
Patrick Mouraglou faces Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open in January. (David Gray/AFP via Gettty Images)
“You have confidence in what you do every day in practice,” Muratoglo said.
After two weeks of hard training, Osaka will try to bring this shaking to the French Paris National Open in India Wells, California this week.
Mouratoglou, 54, said in an interview that he expects Osaka players to try to become better players every day with an open attitude and hunger.
All great people do it.
The conversation was edited for clarity and length.
More in-depth
Naomi Osaka and the gravity of American superstars
How does her hurt feel?
She was in pain. We have been serving, but slowly and gradually. She finished the work to make sure she didn’t get hurt again.
What is it like to work with players at her level? How does she compare to Serena Williams?
I don’t compare anyone with Serena. This is very exciting due to her potential. She has the potential to win more Grand Slams. She is very motivated. Tennis is the top priority, and she is ready to come back all the way.
How do you know if you are right for her?
I don’t know if this is right – all players are different, as a coach you need to adapt.
Is this any difference when you coach superstars rather than coaching with some players at that level?
This is very important when you work with a superstar, just as the player is not a superstar. You need to talk to a person in a normal way, just like she is a normal player. When they achieve so much, they are necessary to their work, but they must be open enough to learn and continue to grow. That’s where Naomi is. She really wants to improve. She is indeed taking the advice and giving 100% advice. She is not afraid. That is the champion mentality.
Interestingly. I think people who have won a lot of victories in the past think they know how to do it again.
They become champions because they are working to improve; they have the ability to trust the people they work with to tell them what to do and what they need to do. This makes them champions.
Rafa (Nadal) and Novak (Djokovic), they have experienced many technological changes. They see the sport as a game. Everyone is improving. This is how Serena sees the world. If you are happy with what you have and don’t try new things, you will be replaced by someone else. Progress comes from seeing areas where you can get better.
Why is it better now than last year?
Her confidence is higher. This comes from what she did in her practice. Her practice is very good. She pushed herself. Her match became consistent. The player must be aware of how she feels, even if she feels she has lost confidence. Before, she did not express it to herself. Most of the matches, she was lost because she stopped believing that it was not allowed.
We do practice competitions. She knew how she felt. We talk about it. We are working hard on this at this moment. It’s good to have this feeling, it’s natural – nervous without shame. We just need to be aware of this. It may affect you, but not too much – Novak becomes super or angry, but most importantly the ability to be able to come back quickly. Otherwise, you will lose points, points and points. You have the right to become nervous and lose confidence, but not too much, and not too long.
You won’t say much in the game except for the little news of encouragement. Why?
There isn’t much to say unless I see her not following the plan one way or another. We were preparing for the game before. The only thing I can do is support her.
Muchova performed well in Melbourne’s Muchova match and Naomi worked hard to reach her level. I’ve seen it in the past year. I found that when she was in trouble, her confidence level dropped a lot and the game was affected.
In her first game in China, she lost 20 consecutive games when she lost the first set. This time, she didn’t let what was happening on the court work with her mind. It is impossible not to be affected by scores. They need to be affected by the score. It affects your level and affects you in ways that may hurt you. You want to be affected, but stay in control. Keep believing in what you are doing.
Is this what she did to Muchova?
She stayed there spiritually. You won’t walk away. From the first point to the last point, no one can play it perfectly.
When you coach Serena, you compete with Osaka. Have you shared your old game plan with her?
No. You don’t want to strengthen the weaker spots. I also think you won’t win by improving your mistakes. You prepare the solution and make a better point of view. If anyone has a game plan that beats Jannik Sinner, I want to check it out. Players at this level, you must catch them when you encounter weaknesses on a certain day.
I want my players to know how to turn their strengths into weapons: “What is my players’ play style, how do they win points?”.
So, this should be her weapon, what are the advantages of Osaka?
When she was at the top of the game, she played faster than anyone else. She has a hard time organizing it. She brought the ball back to you in such a short time. When the ball hits the racket, it is so fast from the other side of the net that she can hit the spot very accurately.
She still has a lot of room for improvement. She could return better, be more aggressive on the second serve, making time better off leaving the opponent. The good thing is that she is very open to new ideas. I told her what I thought when I arrived and she told me she was happy to go to work because she believed she would learn new things.
Naomi Osaka has the Australian Open Trophy after the 2019 final. (Getty Image)
Is that the best thing to tell you?
Absolutely. They forgot what they achieved in one minute. Serena ended the 2012 victory in Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, Olympics and WTA Tour finals. She was walking out of the court and told me to come up with a plan to win the French Open. “I’ve been chasing for 10 years. I want to win Roland Garros and make plans for me,” she said. (Williams won the 2013 French Open.)
The past is the past. It is important not to look over. ‘Let’s keep moving forward. Always focus on the journey we want to go. That’s Naomi. She is ambitious. She thinks her story is still being written. This is important because when you have a trophy, it only lasts for a few minutes. You have to be excited about what’s coming.
What has happened to tennis in recent years?
Usually, fitness level improves. It’s easy to explain. All the top players travel with fitness coaches and physical therapists. It wasn’t true before. The players’ sports are much better. On the female side, (Aryna) Sabalenka is very tall. Then Iga (Swiatek) and cocoa (Gauff).
(Carlos) Alcaraz, sinner, how they move on the court is crazy. Even people like Tomas Machac. Therefore, it is difficult to hit the winner and pass the ball through the court. If Naomi continues to grow, she will be able to earn as many winners as possible again.
Naomi said she didn’t know if you would really be a good coach because you had coached Serena before and she wanted to know if Serena needed a coach. Others sometimes question how much impact you will have when you coach these great men of history? How does this affect you?
Those who don’t know what they are talking about. If I coach Naomi and she doesn’t do well, I’ll hear it. I don’t have any particular pride in coaching championships. For me, I’m not doing well if I don’t take her to the highest level.
(Top photo: David Gray/AFP via Getty image)
