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Naomi Osaka says she is at a stage in her life where she “does not want to have regrets” after hiring Patrick Mouratoglou as her new coach. The four-time Grand Slam champion made the announcement following her 6-3, 6-2 win over Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti at the China Open, her first match with Mouratoglou in her corner.
Osaka, 26, parted ways with her previous coach, Wim Fisette, earlier in September. Under Fisette, Osaka secured two of her four Grand Slam titles. Initially hesitant about working with Mouratoglou, who coached Serena Williams for much of her career, Osaka admitted she had concerns.
“The fact that he was Serena’s coach made me want to avoid him just because his persona is so big,” Osaka said. “This isn’t rude because I found out it’s not true, but I didn’t know if he was a good coach or he coached Serena.”
After meeting and working with Mouratoglou, however, Osaka praised his coaching abilities, saying, “He absolutely is a really good coach.”
Since returning from maternity leave in January, Osaka has struggled for consistency, reaching the quarter-finals in just two of the 16 tournaments she has played. She has not advanced beyond the second round of a Grand Slam this season. Reflecting on her decision to work with Mouratoglou, Osaka explained, “I think I’m at a stage in my life that I don’t want to have regrets… I feel like I really need to learn as much as possible in this stage of my career.”
