Frenchman Patrick Mouratoglou, coach of American Serena Williams between 2012 and 2022, sheds light on the player who accompanied her on her 10 of 23 major tennis titles in an interview with Agence France-Presse in September 2021.

player

“At first she tried to impress me and intimidate me. She lacked confidence because she had two painful years and a first-round loss at Roland Garros. She was different. When she reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon (2012) and she is ranked seventh in the world, I was in a restaurant, I ran She smiled at me saying “That’s + great, whatever happens, I’ll be third in the world on Monday!” I said, “What does that mean?” I’m surprised you were touched. Can you explain? + I felt sick and couldn’t answer my own question.

“But in the evening she texted me: “Sorry for what I said earlier. 3rd place doesn’t mean anything, 2nd place doesn’t mean anything either +”, after which I called her back.”

That summer, Muratoglu said, she had the best performance of her career: “The London Olympics were exceptional. She won Wimbledon with the confidence she deserved to walk on water.”

He continued, “I crushed everyone there. In the final the score was 6:0, 6:1 against (Russian Maria) Sharapova! There she showed her best level, no one could stop her.”

He added: “In late 2014 and early 2015, I won four major titles in a row and played well.”

He concluded by saying: “In 2013, she told me that she hadn’t won at Roland Garros for 11 years and wanted him to be her goal. That year, she did not lose a single match on clay. She won in Charleston, Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros, Bastad… Even Rafael Nadal didn’t do it.”

heroine

“I know players who are still celebrating their title in one round. In 2013, after she won Roland Garros after 11 years of waiting and five minutes after the awards ceremony, she told me: “Now we have to win the Roland Garros title. “I forgot Roland Garros after I ran after it.” 11 years! This is a hero. A heroine who never looks back.”

woman

“The advantages she has on the court are in the world of business and other areas. I am convinced that her success in life is similar to her career. When you are a hero, you are a hero, period. Whether you are a tennis player, a swimmer, in the business world actor, you are a hero.

He continued, “Since she gave birth to her daughter, things have become more complicated. She suffers from many problems because she does not prefer her life to her mother over the life of a player, which is very logical.

“I think that’s the main reason why she didn’t win the Grand Slam (optional). Her family comes first, and if she wants to be big in a certain area, that scope can’t come second.”

Her Legacy in Tennis

“She changed tennis. She brought an athletic dimension that never existed and she, along with her sister Venus, opened the doors to a whole generation of female players because it was a sport for whites.”

“She caused fear in tennis with her intimidating appearance to others. For a long time it made an impression,” added Muratoglu, who witnessed her physical and psychological development as a player.

“It also led the business world to the women’s racket. Prior to this, the range was narrow, but with it the numbers grew due to his aura, and it became a marketing project that opened the door to big contracts for players,” Muratoglu added. .

The greatest in history?

“This raises the question of (Australian Margaret Court) 24 titles. Margaret Court played in an era when three quarters of Australian players did not participate in the (Australian Championship), when tennis was amateur and there were 16 players in tournaments. “

And Kurt won 11 of his record titles on the Australian courts.

He continued: “I don’t want to disrespect Margaret Court, but this is a different era… Yes, it would be better if Serena broke her record, but she will remain the greatest player in history.”