Naomi Osaka has never hidden her admiration for Serena Williams and now she’s following in the 23-time grand slam champion’s footsteps.
Osaka has started working with Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou and the Japanese star got the new partnership off to the perfect start at the China Open on Wednesday, winning her first-round match against Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti in straight sets.
Mouratoglou is no stranger to working with champion-level talent, having previously guided Williams to 10 major titles and a career golden slam – all four grand slam titles and an Olympic gold medal.
He has also worked with men’s tennis stars such as Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune.
And while Osaka is excited about a new chapter in her career, the four-time grand slam champion says she was initially hesitant to start working with the well-known coach.
“The fact that he was Serena’s coach made me want to avoid him just because his persona is so big,” she told reporters, per Reuters.
“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.”
“I would say I’m still a little nervous around him. I look to the floor when he looks at me. I think I do need a lot more time to spend together with him. I’m getting a little more comfortable day by day.”
Osaka returned to competitive tennis at the start of this year after maternity leave and now ranks 73rd in the world.
And while the season has been peppered with high-points – a victory in her first match back, a first Wimbledon win since 2018, and a quarterfinal appearance at a WTA 1000 event – she has struggled at times with life back on tour.
In an Instagram post last month, Osaka explained that she doesn’t “feel like I’m in my body” and that she is “missing balls I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to.”
She now hopes her new relationship with Mouratoglou can take her back to the top of tennis once again.
“I try not to get into relationships with people for the short-term. I try to think of it as a long-term commitment. I like the way he coaches,” Osaka said.
“I think it’s going to be really interesting.”