- Mouratoglou coached retired tennis star Serena Williams
- He believes the Japanese player has what it takes to challenge the current elite
- He compares the two players to light up the court just like in the days of Maria Sharapova
Tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou has a lot of hopes towards the return of Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff in the 2024 WTA season.
Mouratoglou who coached retired tennis star Serena Williams considers Osaka’s return a big move for women’s tennis.
He believes the Japanese player has what it takes to challenge the current elite and achieve great things. For Gauff, he is also optimistic. He compares the two players to lighting up the court just like Maria Sharapova, Venus and Serena Williams.
The trio were a crowd-puller in the stands and Osaka who is lucky to have played with these players has the same effect on tennis.
Tennis Coach Patrick Mouratoglou Prediction on 2024 Women’s Tennis
Mouratoglou says that Osaka’s absence throughout the 2023 season took away some zest in women’s tennis. The American-based Japanese tennis star announced she was pregnant days before the start of the Australian Open.
She later delivered her first child, a daughter with her fiancée rapper Cordae. Osaka in recent times has admitted that she is optimistic of her comeback in 2024.
Naomi Osaka. Photo/NaomiOsaka.com
She plans to play more tournaments as her body can allow. She is working hard towards fulfilling her ambition to add another slam to her title and make her daughter proud
She has been getting ready for her return, which will begin on December 31 and run through January 7 at Brisbane International.
In light of her zealous comeback, the former coach to Serena remarks that this is good news for women’s tennis.
“It’s the best news for women’s tennis…She is great,” he told Eurosport in an interview.
Osaka, 26, will be competing in her first tournament since September 2022. Mouratoglou added that he expects the Japanese player to be a little rusty in her first events.
“She has such a huge game, huge shots. Having the mindset, the will and the shots, she can really do some damage. She will be ready for the Australian Open. She will just lack matches. We’ll know quite fast if she’s able to be competitive immediately or if she will need a bit more time to become competitive. But I feel she will be competitive straight away,” stated Mouratoglou.
Osaka has a special affinity for the Australian Open. She won two Grand Slams in Melbourne in 2019 and 2021.
What Does Patrick Mouratoglou Think About Coco Gauff?
With Osaka’s return, Mouratoglou stated the Gauff’s presence on tour is the missing puzzle for an exciting season. He considers the two players as “super exciting”.
“Now you have Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka – not that there are no others because of course there are many others, but those two are super exciting. They are superstars, so they’re great for the WTA,” he stated.
Gauff who is now 19 years old, stunned with her resilient play in August where she won her first Grand Slam, the US Open.
American tennis player Coco Gauff. Photo/People
Mouratoglou praised her skills adding that she is confidently focused which is great for her to win more Grand Slams.
Gauff is now the world No.3, a career-high that is pushing her to be more aggressive on the court. The American teenager defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final to win the Grand Slam match.
“You have Coco, being now a Grand Slam winner, you can feel that she has more confidence in her game and her ability to win majors. So this is going to be exciting,” said the veteran tennis coach.
Gauff said her ambition is to win additional Grand Slams after achieving her first slam. She has no number in mind but all she wants is to win as many slams as she can.
“To keep winning more of these. That would be the biggest goal. I’m not going to put a number (on) how many I want to win,” she said in a previous press conference.
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