Exclusive: Patrick Mouratoglou expects Serena Williams’ retirement to stick without a shock comeback

Long-term coach Patrick Mouratoglou expects Serena Williams’ retirement from top-level tennis to stick, and says the legend will be remembered for her glory and not the nature of her final moments in the sport.

Mouratoglou began coaching Serena in 2012, after her shock first-round defeat in the French Open that year. That had been something of a career nadir for the younger Williams sister, but with Mouratoglou’s help she added seven further Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold to her already impressive record.

That 10-year association gives Mouratoglou a rare insight into the tennis legend and her mindset in retirement.

Despite their association coming to an end, Mouratoglou says he would be happy to see her continue her career.

“Do I want to see her play? I want to see her play again,” he told Eurosport. “Yes, yes, if she enjoys herself on the court. For that, she has to feel strong. If she doesn’t feel strong, she won’t enjoy herself.

“I want to see her play good tennis. If she can play good tennis, of course, I want to see her play. Everyone wants to see her play!”

In her announcement that she was moving away from tennis, Serena made it clear that she will move into other areas, including working in the field of venture capital.

Mouratoglou hinted at these extra-curricular interests as being likely barriers to her returning.

He said: “I think to be exceptional at something, and God knows she’s been exceptional, you have to be a little bit obsessive about it. You have to be 100% focused on the activity, otherwise even for tennis geniuses, it’s complicated.”

With Williams departing the scene in the same year as men’s tennis icon Roger Federer, there could be a concern for the future of the sport. Mouratoglou doesn’t share that concern.

Mouratoglou does not believe that the difficult final years of Williams’ career will impact her legacy.

He said: “I think if she’s happy at the end of her career, that’s all that matters because nobody will remember the end of her career.

“You remember it now because it’s fresh, but everyone will remember what a champion she was, all the Grand Slams she won, the things she brought to tennis and how she made history. The end of her career is an anecdote.”

– – –