Posted in: 03/09/2022 – 10:30Last updated: 03/09/2022 – 10:28
New York (AFP) – French Patrick Moratoglu, coach of American Serena Williams between 2012 and 2022, sheds light on a player who accompanied her during her winning 10 of the 23 major tennis titles, in an interview with Agence France-Presse in September 2021.
the player
“At first she tried to impress me and bully me. She lacked confidence because she had two painful years plus a first-round defeat at Roland Garros. She was not the same. When she reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon (2012) and she is ranked seventh in the world, I was in the restaurant, I ran She smiled towards me, saying, ‘It’s + great, no matter what happens I will be third in the world on Monday!’ I replied ‘What does that mean?’ I’m surprised that you are affected by this. Can you explain it? + I felt bad and couldn’t answer my question.
“But in the evening, she texted me ‘sorry for what I said earlier. 3rd place doesn’t mean anything, 2nd place too +’ then, I called her back.”
That summer, Muratoglu believes, she gave the best performance of her career. “The London Olympics were exceptional. She won Wimbledon with a confidence she deserved to walk on water.”
He continued, “I crushed everyone there. In the final, the score was 6-0, 6-1 against (Russian Maria) Sharapova! There she gave her best level, no one was able to stop her.”
He added, “At the end of 2014 and early 2015, I won four major titles in a row and played well.”
He concluded, “In 2013, she told me that she had not won at Roland Garros in 11 years and wanted him as a goal for her. She did not lose a match on dirt that year. She won in Charleston, Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros, Bastad .. Even Rafael Nadal did not.”
heroine
“I know players who are still celebrating their one-round title. In 2013, after she crowned Roland Garros after 11 years of waiting, and five minutes after the trophy ceremony, she said to me ‘Now we have to win the Roland Garros title’ I forgot Roland Garros after running after him.” 11 years! This is a hero. A heroine who never looks back.”
woman
“The advantages that she has on the court also have in the world of business and other sectors. I am convinced that her success in life is similar to her career. When you are a hero, you are a hero, a point. Regardless if you are a tennis player, a swimmer, in the business world, an actor, you are a hero”.
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He continued, “Since she gave birth to her daughter, things have become more difficult. She suffers from many problems because she does not prefer her life as a mother over her as a player, which is very logical.”
“I think that’s the main reason why she didn’t win the Grand Slam (extra). Her family is the first, and if she wants to achieve great things in a certain area, this scope can’t take second place.”
Her legacy in tennis
“She changed tennis. She brought a sporting dimension that had never existed, and she, along with her sister Venus, opened the doors for an entire generation of female players because it was a white sport.”
“She created intimidation in tennis, because of her fearsome presence for others. For a long time, this was impressive,” added Mouratoglu, who witnessed her development as a player both physically and psychologically.
“It also brought the business world to the women’s racket. Before it, the range was narrow, but with it the numbers rose because of its aura and it became a marketing project that opened the door to huge contracts for the players,” added Muratoglu.
The greatest in history?
“That begs the question of (Australia’s Margaret Court) 24 titles. Margaret Court played in an era when three-quarters of Australian players did not go to (Australia’s Championship), when tennis was amateur and there were 16 players participating in the tournaments.”
And Kurt won 11 of her record titles on Australian courts.
He continued, “I don’t want to disrespect Margaret Court, but it’s a different era… Yes, it would be better if Serena broke her record, but she will remain the greatest player in history.”
© 2022 AFP