Patrick Mouratoglou’s coaching journey with Serena Williams began unexpectedly in 2012. After a shock first-round French Open loss, Serena only wanted a place to practice in Paris. Mouratoglou arranged it, and after 45 minutes on court, she said, “Talk to me.” That moment sparked a decade-long partnership. Seeing her as a “blank canvas,” he rebuilt her confidence and the “culture of victory” that defined her. Together, they won 10 Grand Slams and Olympic gold, forging what Mouratoglou called “a special bond from the start.” And when times got tough? Well, it was the WTA champ that saved the day!

In an exclusive with EssentiallySports, the Coach reflected on life with his greatest student, Serena Williams. Their partnership faced challenges after Serena’s daughter Olympia was born in September 2017. “The results were not good. She played four Grand Slam finals and lost all four, which was very unusual,” he recalled. With the pressure of chasing the all-time record and the demands of motherhood, Mouratoglou admitted, “Her daughter was taking a lot of space in her mind… we never found a solution for her to win more.”

Despite doubts about her return after motherhood, Serena stormed back in 2018, reaching Wimbledon and US Open finals, proving her competitive fire was still alive. Yet, the elusive 24th Grand Slam slipped away. Mouratoglou confessed, “At a point, I said to her, ‘Maybe I’m not… maybe it’s time for a change. It’s the end of your career. You need to make that extra Grand Slam, and it’s clearly not working… maybe someone else will do it better than me.’” So, what stopped him?

Serena Williams, of course! According to Patrick, she fired back, “You can’t say that! We are the best team, we’ve always been. You can’t think like that!” Mouratoglou called that pep talk “amazing… I didn’t expect that at all. She always stood by me. That was incredible.” Their mutual trust was the secret sauce behind her 319 weeks as WTA world No. 1, including a 186-week consecutive reign from 2013-2016.

Under Patrick Mouratoglou’s expert guidance from 2012 to 2022, Serena Williams added an incredible 10 Grand Slam singles titles to her tally—five at Wimbledon (2012, 2015, 2016), three at the US Open (2012, 2013, 2014), one French Open (2013), and one Australian Open (2015). This surge took her from 13 majors before their partnership to 23, just one shy of Margaret Court’s all-time record. Notably, she completed her second career Grand Slam by conquering Roland Garros in 2013, proving doubters wrong on clay.

Beyond the majors, Serena’s trophy cabinet sparkled even more: an Olympic gold medal in doubles at London 2012, two year-end WTA Finals titles (2012, 2014), and five stints finishing world No. 1 under Mouratoglou. She also stunned with a career-best 27-match winning streak in 2013, clinching a total of 19 singles titles over their decade-long collaboration. Their partnership redefined her legacy from champion to global icon.

Though Serena never clinched her 24th Grand Slam, she played until 2022, even winning the 2020 Auckland title. The duo parted ways in her final season, with Rennae Stubbs coaching her last tournament. But what eventually led to them splitting?

How Patrick Mouratoglou and Williams eventually split ways

In April 2022, Mouratoglou shocked the tennis world when he decided to end his 10-year run with Serena Williams and take on Simona Halep as his new full-time project. Two months later, in June 2022, he finally opened up about the split while speaking at a sports festival in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It all came down to Serena’s uncertainty about competing again. “I went to ask her what she was going to do,” Mouratoglou revealed. “It wasn’t very clear to her. I asked her if she wanted to go to Roland-Garros. She told me she didn’t know.”

For Patrick Mouratoglou, that moment was decisive. With Roland-Garros just around the corner, he put it bluntly: “It was six weeks before the [WTA] Tour. I told her I was waiting for her on Monday for training and if she didn’t come I would consider myself free.” Seems like it was William’s hesitation effectively ended one of the most successful partnerships in tennis history.

Meanwhile, Serena’s 2022 season reflected her shifting priorities. She skipped the Australian Open on her doctor’s advice, choosing to protect her body and focus on family. Wimbledon, her most decorated stage, was also absent from her schedule, fueling speculation about retirement. Finally, at the US Open, she delivered what felt like her last dance. After a gritty third-round battle, Serena said goodbye with tears, a heartfelt thank-you to fans and family, and a roaring standing ovation.

The split also hit Mouratoglou hard. “After Serena decided to take a break, I confessed to my loved ones that I feel like I’m done with coaching,” he admitted. He worried he had lost the enthusiasm that once drove him. But that fire came back quickly. By the summer of 2022, he was back on court guiding Halep through Roland-Garros and Wimbledon.

And now, fast-forward three years, he’s just finished a coaching stint with Naomi Osaka, helping the four-time Grand Slam champ clinch her first title since 2021 and reigniting her competitive spark. Today, Mouratoglou may not have his next student lined up yet, but he keeps the game alive for fans everywhere through his coaching insights on Instagram.