“I didn’t know if I would get along with him,” Naomi Osaka admitted at this year’s Australian Open when asked about her new coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. Well, the shift was dramatic for her! After an early US Open exit, she parted ways with Wim Fissette, the cerebral strategist behind her 2020 and 2021 Grand Slam triumphs. Enter Mouratoglou, the charismatic former coach of Serena Williams. And in sports, the “other guy” theory holds: when one approach falters, a contrasting style takes over. Initially wary, Osaka has since embraced Mouratoglou’s dynamic methods. Recently the Japanese ace opened up about how Mouratoglou is shaping her game one day at a time.

Naomi’s journey with Mouratoglou began with a respectable run to the R16 at the China Open, followed by a finalist finish at the ASB Classic, where injury forced her to retire despite winning the first set. At the AO, she impressed early but had to withdraw in the third round due to recurring abdomen pain. A first-round exit at Indian Wells raised concerns, but Osaka found her footing again with a confidence-boosting opening-round win in Miami. 

After the match, Naomi reflected on the evolving relationship with Mouratoglou, acknowledging the growing trust and adaptation process between coach and player.

Speaking to Tennis Channel after her opening match at the Miami Open, Osaka said, “He is a really good coach. Really interesting guy. I think in the beginning, I don’t know, I’m quite introverted, so it’s really hard to get me to talk. And that was a bit hard for him so now, that our dynamic looks lot better and I hope, hopefully, we can get a lot more matches then.”

The former no. 1 was initially uncertain about choosing Patrick Mouratoglou as her new coach, but her doubts began to ease after her first match under his guidance last September. At the China Open, she started strong with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 win over Italy’s ‘Lucia Bronzetti.’After the match, The 4-time GS winner admitted she was skeptical at first but trusted Mouratoglou’s expertise, given his history with elite players like Serena Williams.

“I think the fact that he was Serena’s coach for me made me want to avoid him just because his persona is so big. Like, this isn’t rude because I found out it’s not true, but I didn’t know if he was a good coach or he coached Serena. Then I met him, talked to him, worked with him on the court. He absolutely is a really good coach. I’m really glad that he’s taking this project on, as well,” Osaka said previously.

Mouratoglou’s coaching career highlights:

• Started coaching with 16-year-old ‘Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova’, guiding her to the WTA top 30 in 2007.
• Started coaching Serena Williams in September 2012
• Helped Williams win three Wimbledon titles (2012, 2013, 2015).
• Guided Serena to Olympic gold in 2012.
• Coached Serena to three of US Open titles (2012, 2013, 2014).
• Led Williams to two French Open titles (2013, 2015).
• Helped her secure three consecutive WTA Finals titles (2012-2014).
• Coached Serena to two AO titles (2015, 2017).
• Elevated the American back to WTA No. 1 ranking.
• Helped the Dane Holger Rune win his 1st Masters 1000 title at the 2022 Paris Masters, defeating Novak Djokovic.

While Osaka is refining her game under Mouratoglou, she is also eager to bounce back from injury struggles. Despite some early exits this season, she remains focused on improving.

“I was going to run into every corner” —Naomi Osaka after her first-round win at the Miami Open

Just a week after apologizing to fans for what Naomi called “the worst match” of her career at the BNP Paribas Open, she made a strong comeback at the Miami Open. Following her disappointing straight-sets loss to Camila Osorio, Osaka took a proactive approach by heading to Miami early for a dedicated training block. Speaking to Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj, former No. 1 emphasized the importance of acclimating to conditions and regaining her stamina. 

Against Ukraine’s Katarina Starodubtseva, the Japanese demonstrated her improved court coverage and shot-making ability. She fired 27 winners, hit 10 aces, and controlled the crucial moments of the match with aggressive play. Her movement was noticeably sharper in the second set, allowing her to counter her opponent’s groundstrokes effectively.

After the match, the 4-time GS winner reflected on her performance, expressing relief at bouncing back and emphasizing her commitment to continued improvement.

“I was going to run into every corner if I had to, and we were going to have to play for three hours if she was going to beat me. Definitely it was a little bit of a letdown to be injured right at the start of the season, especially when I thought I was playing pretty well. And I think my nerves have to do with that. I just want to play with the big dogs so bad. I just see everyone playing so well, and I want to do the same,” Osaka said.

The former World Number 1 will now face the 24th seed, Liudmila Samsonova, with their head-to-head record being leveled at 1-1. Do you think Osaka will secure an easy victory there and advance?