The French Open has long been known for its prestige, but in recent years, it’s also become known for something else—its lack of prime-time women’s matches. Since night sessions were introduced in 2021, only four women’s matches have been given the evening spotlight. And this year? Not a single one. That decision sparked heated debate across the tennis world, with Ons Jabeur leading the charge. Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo previously said that women’s matches weren’t given the slot as they don’t last as long because they’re played over three sets. But not everyone is buying that explanation. Serena Williams‘ ex-coach gave his own unique reasoning. Let’s find out the details!

Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams’ former coach, is never shy about voicing his thoughts. In a recent interview, Mouratoglou said, “Most of the people who go to the stadiums are not really core fans of tennis, so they want to come back home and say, ‘I saw Djokovic’, or ‘I saw Alcaraz’, if they come back and say ‘I saw [Iga] Swiatek’, it’s not the same. Swiatek, who is a four-time winner, and three in a row, she’s not a superstar.”

That statement didn’t go down well with tennis fans. But instead of walking it back, he went to Instagram to explain himself further. “I’m not saying that there will not be in the future. I said that there have been huge superstars in women’s tennis,” said Mouratoglou. “There is one big star in women’s tennis, which is Coco Gauff. In terms of aura, it is higher than anyone at the moment.”

Mouratoglou certainly knows what a superstar looks like; he coached Serena Williams between 2012 and 2022, helping her win 10 of her 23 Grand Slam titles. And when it comes to star power, he believes no one has done it like Serena. “To understand what is a superstar effect in women’s tennis, when Serena was playing, it was the first time in the history of the US Open that the women’s final tickets were sold out before the men’s final tickets,” he said.

The moment he’s referring to happened in 2015, when fans rushed to grab seats for a chance to see Serena complete the Calendar Grand Slam. She didn’t end up making it to the final, losing to Roberta Vinci in the semifinals, but the demand said it all.

Mouratoglou also broke it down using a classic litmus test. “Take a taxi and ask questions. ‘Do you know tennis?’ ‘No, I’m not a tennis fan.’ ‘Ok, who do you know?” he said. “90% of the time I ask, women, Serena. Most of the time, on the men’s, Rafa. They are way beyond tennis, those people are not tennis fans, but they know Serena. Everybody knows Serena.”

And while he believes the women’s game doesn’t have multiple superstars right now, he does see Gauff standing out.

French player questions Serena Williams’ coach on Coco Gauff’s  star staus

Back in 2014, a 10-year-old Coco Gauff traveled to France to train at the Mouratoglou Academy. That’s where she met Patrick, the man who believed in her early potential and helped support her development through his Champ’s Seed Foundation, which funds junior players who need financial assistance.

Fast forward to 2024, and Mouratoglou watched Gauff lift the French Open trophy on French television, right where her journey began. And as if the universe needed to drive the point home, French player Alizé Cornet threw a cheeky jab at Mouratoglou on social media, saying, “Patrick, can we say that Gauff is a star?”

Well, it’s hard to argue with the numbers. With two Grand Slam titles under her belt and a growing presence off the court, Gauff is doing what only a handful of American women have done since 2000. Serena Williams did it first, claiming her second Slam at the 2002 French Open. Gauff now joins an elite group that includes Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, and Jennifer Capriati.

She’s not just making headlines on the court; she’s dominating the business world too. In 2024, Gauff was named the most marketable athlete in the world. According to Forbes, she earned $34.4 million this year, including $9.4 million in prize money and a whopping $25 million from endorsements. That number places her behind only Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams for the highest-ever annual earnings by a female athlete. And she’s only 21.

Coco Gauff may have idolized Serena Williams, but she’s carving out a legacy that’s all her own. With every win, she’s cementing her status as a tennis player and a superstar. Will she be the one to redefine superstardom in women’s tennis? What do you think?