Naomi Osaka started working with Patrick Mouratoglou in September; former world No 1 is “extremely motivated” to win Grand Slams, says coach; Mouratoglou previously worked with Serena Williams
Osaka, who is currently ranked No 59 in the world, last featured during the China Open in September where she made it to the round of 16 before retiring injured against Coco Gauff.
The four-time Grand Slam champion took more than a year out of tennis after she became a mother for the first time in July 2023 before returning to action in January, and was handed a wildcard into the US Open.
Mouratoglou, who worked with Serena Williams for a decade, and more recently has been helping guide Osaka, told Sky Sports: “[With] Serena, motivation was extremely key after she beat the record of [Martina] Navratilova and Chris Evert [to reach 23 Grand Slam singles titles
“But I think we worked so well together because I think we were both motivating each other all the time. I knew exactly how to talk to her. She knew exactly how to talk to me. I was pushing her, she was pushing me and that was like that every day.
“So that’s why it works so well. For Naomi, it’s different because she really feels she has to give and do much more. She had two very difficult years.
“First, she had this mental health issue, and then she had a baby. So she’s been out, and then she restarted the year this season and it was not a very good season.
“Before the first tournament we did together she was 80 in the world and she knows she can do much more than that.
“She’s extremely motivated to come back and win Grand Slams, and it’s a pleasure for me because that’s the dream of every coach: to have a player who has that level of motivation.”
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