The long-time coach of Serena Williams believes they need to come up with a new strategy if they want to match Margaret Court’s all-time record for most grand slam titles won.
Patrick Mouratoglou has spoken out about the former world No.1 following her recent disappointment at the Australian Open. The 38-year-old entered Melbourne with high hopes after winning the ASB Classic in Auckland. One of the key WTA events proceeding the first grand slam of 2020. However, Williams’ bid for a 24th major title was stopped in the third round by China’s Wang Qiang. Prompting the American to criticise her own performance shortly after.
“I didn’t return like Serena. Honestly, if we were just honest with ourselves, it’s all on my shoulders. I lost that match. So it is what it is.” She said.
“I can’t play like that. Like, I literally can’t do that again. That’s unprofessional. It’s not cool.”
Since giving birth to her daughter in September 2017, Williams has been unable to add to her major title tally. She has reached the final in four of the last seven grand slam tournaments, but has lost all of them in straight sets. Her latest loss in Melbourne was the earliest she has exited the tournament since 2006.
Speaking about the recent results, Mouratoglou admits that changes need to be made. The Frenchman has been Williams’ principle coach since 2012. He has also worked alongside Marcos Baghdatis, Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“We have to accept the fact that it is not working,” Mouratoglou said during an interview with BBC Sport.
“Maybe come back with a different angle, a different strategy and different goals so she can make it.
“She does feel positive, she feels negative too because it is a failure when she doesn’t win a Grand Slam.
“We have to face reality, but she is positive that she can make it otherwise she probably wouldn’t be on a tennis court anymore.
“She believes she can make it and I believe it too. She’s not that far, but we have to change a few things.”
It remains to be seen how many chances the American has left at trying to tie and break Court’s grand slam record, which also includes titles she won before the start of the Open Era in 1969. According to the WTA, she is the third oldest player to have an official ranking after sister Venus (39) and Hungary’s Greta Arn (40).
Nevertheless, Mouratoglou believes her passion and drive to succeed in the sport is as strong as ever.
“She had everything to retire, 23 Grand Slam titles. But she decided to come back, she decided to make all the efforts, the physical efforts, the mental efforts, to come back to the game, with the goal to score more Grand Slams and beat the all-time record.” He said.
“It’s difficult to know how many chances she will have, I don’t know how long she is going to be able to play, but being able to reach four Grand Slam finals says a lot about her level, and she’s not that far.
“Her level is good enough but we have to understand what is going on and why she is not able to win one. There is a big difference between reaching a final and winning one.”
So far in her career, Williams has won 73 WTA titles and spent 319 weeks at the top of the rankings.
List of grand slam results since 2018
2018 Australian Open – Did not play
2018 French Open – R4
2018 Wimbledon – Runner-up
2018 US Open – Runner-up
2019 Australian Open – QF
2019 French Open – R3
2019 Wimbledon – Runner-up
2019 US Open – Runner-up
2020 Australian Open – R3
