While Serena Williams stamped her authority on most of the tournaments, there was one tournament where she found it tough to dominate. It was none other than the French Open. Although the American legend won the title back in 2002, she had some poor results in Paris in the following years and was desperate to win the French Open title again. In comes Patrick Mouratoglou, who joined her team in 2012. The following year, Williams defeated Maria Sharapova in the summit clash to win the Roland Garros title after 10 years. Even though it was a much-awaited victory for Williams, she never really celebrated her success there. Recently, Williams’ ex-coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, explained the reason for the same.

At the peak of her career, Williams was determined to win every tournament that she played. With the tournaments coming thick and fast, there was hardly any time left to rest and regroup. Taking to his official Instagram handle, Mouratoglou recounted the events that followed after Williams ended a 10-year drought at the French Open.

He said, “In the evening, everyone wanted to go dancing and when we arrived in front of the nightclub, she looked at me and she said, ‘let’s go back home.’ She never celebrated. She was already thinking about Wimbledon. With Serena Williams, we started working together in 2012 and in 2012, she wins Wimbledon and the US Open, she tells me, ‘now I want to achieve another goal which is to win Roland Garros. I won it only once in 2002 and I want to win it again.’ And it 2013, she wins Roland Garros.”

Further, Mouratoglou went on to add, “When she wins, there is a trophy ceremony and when she gets out of the court, she comes to me and she says, ‘okay, let’s do the cooldown.’ So we go in the fitness room and after five minutes she looks at me and say, ‘now we have to win Wimbledon.’ After five minutes, she already has forgot that she won Roland Garros, which is a tournament that she was trying to win for 10 years.”

Subsequently, at Wimbledon that year, Serena Williams couldn’t defend her title as she bowed out of the tournament in the fourth round. However, she found redemption at the US Open, winning her fifth title there. Interestingly, one of Williams’ toughest matches has also come at Roland Garros.

Serena Williams wants to replay one Roland Garros match

Back in 1998, Williams made her debut at the French Open and reached the fourth round. She was up against the fourth seed, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, and won the first set 6-4. However, Williams lost momentum soon after as the Spaniard made a strong comeback to defeat Williams. During an interview, Williams revealed that she wishes to replay that match.

The American legend said, “The 1998 French Open fourth round. I played Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and I was [two points from winning the match twice]. And I tell you, I would have won the French Open that year [if she had beaten Sanchez Vicario]. I know I would have won the French Open that year. Unfortunately, she won.”

Nonetheless, it was a good learning curve for Williams, and Serena went on to win three French Open titles in her career. Which is your favorite memory of Williams at the French Open? Let us know your views in the comments below.