‘She Made It, Impossible’ – Patrick Mouratoglou Tells a Crazy Story About Serena Williams Winning the French Open With a Flu

Serena Williams is one of the greatest players ever to grace a tennis court. The 40-year-old has 23 Majors to her name, just one shy of Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Major wins. There are many things that made her a great champion, and one of them is her champion mentality. Serena’s former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, narrated a great story of Serena’s incredible French Open win with the flu. 

Patrick Mouratoglou talked a Serena Williams’ champion mentality

Serena has won plenty of Grand Slams in her career, but the 2015 French Open win was probably the hardest Major win of her career. Mouratoglou clarified that she was suffering from flu and fever for the major part tournament including the semifinal and final. In her semis clash against Timea Bacsinszky, she was struggling physically due to fever. Despite that, she won the match in three sets; the score was 4-6,6-3,6-0. And then, she won the final against Lucie Safarova to win her 20th Major.

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Speaking about her mental strength, Mouratoglou said, “I know it sounds crazy but that’s what they do. They change the reality, they twist the reality, to look like what they want and to become what they want. That’s what they do. Serena won Roland Garros with 40-degrees fever. She did not get out of the bed, the whole tournament.”

“Only to enter the car, go to the tennis not warm-up, impossible, no practice, the whole tournament, go to the court play the match come back bed. The whole tournament like that, you have no idea, she could not walk. There was no way she would not win. No way she would die. She made it, impossible,” the French coach further said. 

Serena and Mouratoglou parted ways momentarily

Last year in the first round at Wimbledon, Serena Williams retired mid-match owing to a hamstring injury. And since then, the American player hasn’t played any matches on the tour. In the meantime, the French coach decided to become the new coach of the former World No.1, Simona Halep. After having a discussion with Serena, the French Coach took this step. 

However, this could be a short-term deal till Serena makes her comeback on the tour. Meanwhile, Serena recently announced that she might make a comeback at Wimbledon this year. 

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It remains to be seen how Serena fares upon her comeback.