Some sports can turn out more than life itself. When it comes to Patrick Mouratoglou, that is quite literal. The Frenchman, known for advancing some of the best talents in tennis – including the likes of Serena Williams, Simona Halep, and most recently, Holger Rune, has dedicated his life towards turning athletes’ fortunes on the court. But, what most fans don’t know is the reason behind his investment as a coach for over a decade. Well, don’t fret. Mouratoglou has himself explained tennis’ utmost importance in his life.

The 54-year-old coach took the tennis world by storm when he took up the coaching reins of the American legend Serena Williams. Having guided her from 2012-2022, Mouratoglou was pivotal in shaping her aggressive form and further, led her to bag several Grand Slam titles. Again, what’s his motivation? According to the Frenchman, the sport ‘saved his life’. Admitting that the part sounds rather dramatic, he touched down on how being an outcast during his schooling years and his introverted personality propelled him to find his escapism with tennis. Owing to his impeccable tennis skills, Mouratoglou was treated with respect on the court, eliciting him to stay true to his passion.

He said, “Tennis has saved my life. It might sound dramatic, but it’s true. As a kid, I had zero self-esteem, was bad at school, and extremely shy. I couldn’t connect with people, but on the tennis court, I felt good because I was good at something. People valued me there, both as a player and a person. I didn’t feel shy because I was confident in my skills. The tennis court was my safe space; without it, I don’t know where I’d be today. I’ve dedicated myself to giving back to the sport.”

While his honest admission during the interview sounds introspective, Mouratoglou has also headlined the tennis world with a handful of controversies. Notably, he primarily held himself responsible for wrongfully suggesting a contaminated collagen supplement that led to his former protege Simona Halep’s nine-month suspension from the WTA Tour in 2022. Regardless, having lived past the horrible nightmare, the Frenchman deems such misfortunes as old news. Now, he has reportedly partnered with another tennis icon to put his coaching skills to the test once again.

Patrick Mouratoglou is rumored to be joining forces with Naomi Osaka

It is no surprise that the Japanese star has been looking to find her way back to glory ever since her return from her pregnancy hiatus. A shadow of her former self, Naomi Osaka has made some head-turning changes to her gameplay and now, she has decided to make major adjustments to her coaching team as well. The four-time Grand Slam champion announced her split with coach Wim Fissette after closely working together since 2019. In a bid to hunt for better coaches, Osaka has reportedly partnered with Patrick Mouratoglou.

If reports by ‘Open Court’ are to be believed, the former World No. 1 has chosen the Frenchman as a suitable replacement for Fissette. Further lending credence to the reports of their exciting team-up, the Japanese talent was witnessed training under Mouratoglou’s watchful eyes at UCLA.

Though these reports haven’t been confirmed by either of the two parties or their respective teams, chances are that the duo will debut their partnership at the upcoming China Open in Beijing. Speculation aside, what do you make of this rumored team-up? Do let us know in the comments.