Caroline Garcia’s season has been derailed by a persistent shoulder injury, forcing her to withdraw from the Italian Open and exit early in Madrid. But instead of keeping the details close to her chest, she has been remarkably candid about her struggle, revealing that she relies on anti-inflammatories, injections, and plasma treatments just to manage “unbearable” pain. And on May 5, Garcia openly challenged critics who said, “If you really cared, you’d play through the pain,” highlighting the profound mental and physical toll it takes to manage her injury. Patrick Mouratoglou, however, offered a more insightful response to this pressure.

Speaking on his Instagram, the former coach of Serena Williams, who coached the tennis legend back in 2012 to 2022, opened up about Garcia’s revelation about being in pain. He noted, “People tell Caroline, ‘She should play, and if she cares, she should play with pain.’ A lot of players have experienced it. We’ve heard many times, and that’s true, that there is almost no tennis player without pain.” But have they really done so?

For many years, top players like Williams have competed despite major injuries, including knee issues and a torn hamstring that forced her withdrawal from Wimbledon 2021, while managing chronic pain and migraines. Similarly, Maria Sharapova’s career was plagued by shoulder injuries requiring multiple surgeries, and Naomi Osaka, currently coached by Mouratoglou, has faced abdominal injuries causing retirements in 2025 tournaments.

Patrick emphasized the importance of pain severity in deciding whether to play: “If it’s something that you can control, you should play with pain. I really think so. And I think it’s fine, because the medical staff around, they have to say, ‘Okay, this is too much.’ When Caroline describes her pain, I would say she’s way over the limit.” After Garcia’s early exit at the Australian Open and playing through March, she withdrew from several events due to a persistent back injury. Mouratoglou believes “she should stop, solve the problem, and come back, rather than keep playing with that pain, apparently too heavy, and also having bad results because of the pain.”

Acknowledging the athlete’s mindset, Mouratoglou said, “I know it’s difficult to stop for every player. They think, ‘Oh s***, if I stop for a few months, maybe I will lose my tennis.’ They’re all scared of that. And I think in the past, a lot of guys have shown the way.” He cited examples like Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, who made remarkable comebacks after injury layoffs.

Federer took six months off in late 2016 for knee surgery, then won the 2017 Australian Open and Wimbledon at age 35. Wawrinka returned in 2018 after two knee surgeries, rebuilding his ranking and reaching Grand Slam quarterfinals by 2019. This resilience shows “A big change after that in the players’ mentality,” according to Mouratoglou.

Ultimately, he stressed that the choice rests with the player: “In French, we say, ‘les conseilleurs ne sont pas les payeurs’—advisors are not the ones paying the price. Everyone gives advice, but you must do what’s right for you.” Not to mention, this is not the first time Mouratoglou has defended Garcia’s decisions regarding her health and career.

Mouratoglou praises Caroline Garcia despite criticism of her inconsistency

Back in 2022, Caroline Garcia, then 29 and ranked a career-high No. 4, was hitting her stride like never before. That year, she snagged her first WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati, claimed her maiden WTA Finals crown, and made her debut Grand Slam semifinal appearance at the US Open. Talk about making good on early promise! After years of ups and downs, she finally embraced her aggressive, high-risk playing style and started racking up titles, winning four singles trophies in just four months. But it hasn’t been an easy journey for her.

Patrick Mouratoglou summed it up perfectly: “I think it was very difficult for Caroline in the past because the expectations were huge. We all remember that match she played against Sharapova. The entire tennis world said she would be No. 1.” Back in the 2011 French Open, a 17-year-old Garcia almost pulled off a stunning upset against Maria Sharapova, cruising with a 6-3, 4-1 lead before Sharapova staged a fierce comeback to win in three sets. That moment was when many first saw Garcia as a future star.

Mouratoglou added, “People get completely crazy with her without really knowing her… People were saying it’s not necessary to take so much risk, it’s stupid, she doesn’t understand tennis and a lot of criticism. Especially about the father not knowing tennis, not understanding tennis. So I think it hurted them a lot and that’s why it took so long.”

At the start of that season, she was still battling foot pain and inconsistent results, with critics doubting if her aggressive style could ever be sustainable. But from June onwards, Garcia found her rhythm, fully embracing her “fly with Caro” approach — attacking from inside the baseline, coming to the net with purpose, serving well, and playing with intensity.

Now, after taking a much-needed break and with the French Open kicking off on May 25, the big question is: will Caroline Garcia bounce back stronger and finally silence the doubters? Drop your thoughts below!