What appears to be effortless might be the most difficult skill to master. This is especially true in the case of tennis. Former world No.1, Serena Williams’ ex-coach recently put up an interesting reel on Instagram. Patrick Mouratoglou talked about the legendary backhand of Roger Federer. He described the shot itself and even gave the fans a fair warning. Mouratoglou is one of the best at what he does. He took Williams to great heights and, being a coach, he studied almost all the players.
Mouratoglou’s Instagram is filled with such reels. These 60-second reels are a great learning tool for aspiring athletes. His recent reel might be one of the most insightful posts of his.
Serena Williams’ former coach’s advice against emulating the iconic backhand of Roger Federer
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Roger Federer spent 25 years playing in the professional tennis circuit. So every move he showcased is backed by years of experience and training. Mouratoglou understands that fans or even new players might want to try these shots themselves. Which is why he makes these reels to clarify what can be done and what cannot.
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Patrick starts with a bold statement. He advises aspiring professional and amateur players to stay away from trying the popular backhand shot. He says: “Never try to imitate Roger Federer’s backhand.” The French coach soon explains why. As per him, Roger never follows through the ball. Well, that is one of his signature moves. It appears to be quite doable, but Patrick says otherwise.
In his words: “He’s having a motion from up to down and it doesn’t follow through the ball. The follow through is what happens right after you hit the ball.”
The French coach then teaches his audience the best way to get the results. Although it’s not as aesthetic as Federer’s, it gets the job done. As per him: “So don’t do it like Roger Federer. Don’t let your racket completely drop here and the arm go this way. Have your hand go in the direction where you want to play.” Seems like those who want to do it exactly like Federer will have to practice for another 25 years.
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Mouratoglou’s training expertise
The 53-year-old has earned a name for himself in the world of tennis. Coaches often get overshadowed by the popularity of their athletes. However, Mouratoglou didn’t let that happen in his case. He runs one of the biggest academies in the world.
Based in Biot, France, the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy is a hub for almost all the legendary players. Apart from Serena and Andy Murray, some of the current leading names also trained at the academy at one point in their careers. Mouratoglou was also coaching the Danish star Holger Rune. However, the two parted their ways after what seemed like an ego-clash at the US Open.
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Patrick Mouratoglou is definitely a brilliant coach. It is safe to say that he is using the power of the internet for the best of things. His frequent online lessons are teaching and inspiring many young talents across the world. Not everyone can get the best coach to train them. Well, Patrick wants to change that fact.
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