Naomi Osaka is gearing up for a major comeback! After a challenging year filled with ups and downs, the four-time Grand Slam champion is eyeing a fresh start as the next season approaches. With rumors swirling about big changes on the horizon, it seems the Japanese star might be ready to shake things up in a major way—and what better way to do that than by bringing a legend into her corner?

The former World No. 1 made a surprising decision after she announced a split with her former coach Wim Fissette. Taking to her Instagram, Osaka wrote, “Thanks Wim for being a great coach and an even greater person. Wishing you all the best.” As she now moves ahead, the tennis courts are buzzing with speculation that Osaka might partner with Serena Williams’ ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

While Osaka has not made any official confirmation yet, she was spotted practicing with Mouratoglou at the UCLA tennis courts, making a big statement. It can be considered major evidence of her latest partnership, which comes in the backdrop of a subpar season. Remember, Osaka faced second-round exits at all the Grand Slam tournaments she played this year, except the Australian Open, where she was ousted in the first round. But Osaka’s coaching setup change is not new or abrupt.

 The former World No. 1 was preparing for a change even before the beginning of the US Open, according to Open Court. In the process, Mouratoglou’s name was considered one of the best, given the intensive coaching experience of the Frenchman, who has trained players like Serena Williams, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, and Grigor Dimitrov. Mouratoglou also confirmed to the publication that he discussed several aspects with Fissette last summer when Osaka was looking for a new person to start training her for her comeback.

Meanwhile, the change in her coaching setup seems inevitable for now because of the pain and struggles Osaka revealed after witnessing a not-so-successful season.

“I feel like my heart dies” – When Naomi Osaka opened up about her struggles

Naomi Osaka witnessed some major setbacks this year. She not only failed to make it to the big stages of tournaments but also faced exits as early as the qualifier rounds. These defeats seemed to take a mental toll on the star player, who opened up about it after her loss to Karolina Muchova in the US Open.

Speaking after the defeat, Osaka said, “It’s a little rough because I do take these losses really personally. It’s like a dramatic word, but I feel like my heart dies every time I lose. It sucks a lot, but I’ve been trying to be more mature and learn and talk more about them.” But now, she looks forward to making a determined move.

As Osaka gears up to partner with new experts for her upcoming endeavors, it will be interesting to see if she can return to her dominant form anytime soon, surprising her critics.