Patrick Mouratoglou has become Simona Halep’s new coach and as a result has caused doubt in Serena Williams’ future on the tour.
The Frenchman announced the news in a statement on social media where he revealed that the two-time grand slam champion trained at his academy before Indian Wells.
Halep, who is 30 years old, has been looking for a coach since the Australian Open as she looks ahead to her favourite time of year on the European clay court swing.
Now the Romanian has her wish as Mouratoglou will become her new coach but the statement from the Frenchman has also casted doubt on Serena Williams’ future.
The 23-time grand slam champion hasn’t played on tour since Wimbledon as she continues to recover from an Achilles injury.
However Mouratoglou appears to confirm in the latter part of his statement that Serena may not return to the tour this season, “Today I am starting a new chapter in my coaching Career: I am now the full-time coach of Simona Halep,” the Frenchman announced on Twitter.
“In the last eight months I realized how much I missed coaching. It is the passion of my life, and I still feel like I have so much to give. Simona came to the Mouratoglou Academy before Indian Wells for a training block. I swung by at a few of her practices, watched her train.
“At the end of the week, she asked me if I was available to coach her. I have the highest respect for her but it was out of the question at the time. A few weeks later, I had a conversation with Serena, and the door opened for me, at least short term, to work with someone else.”
The latter part of the statement raises questions about Williams’ future for the season and beyond as it appears the American won’t be returning to the sport anytime soon.
As for Halep she will look to take advantage of her partnership with Mouratoglou as she looks to win a third grand slam title at Roland Garros this year.
Halep’s first tournament under her new coach is set to take place in Madrid when the tournament takes place on the 25th of April.
