“If I coach Naomi and she doesn’t do something well, I’m going to hear about it. I take no special pride in coaching champions. For me, if I don’t bring her to her top level, I didn’t do a good job,” that’s what Patrick Mouratoglou initially envisioned before taking over last season as the primary coach of four-time slam winner Naomi Osaka. Having a coach who’d guided 23-time major champion Serena Williams was a huge get for Osaka, looking for a resurgence after coming back from maternity leave. However, things didn’t turn out as expected. The collaboration lasted for less than a year; the two parted ways nearly two months back. But one question still remains: what exactly went wrong between the Japanese star and Mouratoglou? Well, Mouratoglou has now spilled the beans.

Osaka’s stint with Mouratoglou never really clicked. She was unable win a single title, except for that one challenger-level WTA 125 event in Saint Malo. While her abdominal injury also prevented her from reaching her full potential, her tournament showings were underwhelming to say the least. At Roland Garros, she couldn’t cross the first round hurdle. Her time in Berlin and Bad Homburg, ended similarly. At Wimbledon, she failed to clear the third round while the Citi Open was the final nail in the coffin for her time under Mouratoglou. Emma Raducanu ousted her in the second round there in straight sets.

Speaking to the Guardian, Mouratoglou finally opened up about why his collaboration with Osaka didn’t work out. He began, “The results weren’t good enough, which completely made sense. I think we did a lot of good things but, at least from a coaching standpoint, the one thing that you don’t master can ruin the whole thing. I think she improved so much, I was seeing it on a daily basis. And her mindset was great. But she was not performing well enough during the matches, so that was the one piece that was ruining the whole thing.”

But the main reason? “I didn’t do a good enough job, otherwise the results would have been there,” said Mouratoglou in a candid self assessment.

He added, “Having me as a coach was a bit heavy for her, in regards to what I did with Serena for many years. She mentioned it a few times actually, even publicly – and I didn’t find a way to take that pressure away. I think maybe that’s why she wasn’t performing. As soon as I was not in the loop, she felt probably lighter. By not having that pressure, she could express her tennis more freely.”

Despite the breakdown of their partnership, he clarified that “there are no hard feelings. She’s a great competitor.” But what did the tennis icon herself think of this entire short-lived journey?

What did Naomi Osaka say on her stint with Mouratoglou?

In late July, after yet another debacle in a tennis event—exiting the Citi Open in second round—Naomi Osaka made the big decision. Before entering the Canada Open in Montreal, she took to her Instagram and announced the split with Mouratoglou.

However, Osaka did mention that despite a brief run with Serena’s former trainer, she got to learn a lot. “Merci Patrick ❤️ It was such a great experience learning from you. Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and I’m sure I’ll see you around 🙏🏾”, wrote the former World No.1.

Speaking of her post-Mouratoglou phase on the court, it’s been a 360 degree twist. How? In Montreal, Osaka made a sensational return to form while eventually making it to the final. Yes, she lost against teenage sensation Victoria Mboko, but the campaign was a success. Later, she continued her stellar form in New York too.

After 2021, when she won her last US Open trophy, Osaka went on to secure a spot in her third semifinal at the Flushing Meadows. While she missed out on the final and a fifth overall major, the 27-year-old icon proved her mettle. Speaking of her current trainer, she’s begun working with six-time slam queen Iga Swiatek’s former coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. When it comes to her next event, Osaka is expected to appear at the China Open in October.