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Coach Patrick Mouratoglou has backed Serena Williams to be a significant contender for the French Open title.
Williams fell simply quick once more in her pursuit of a primary grand slam crown for 4 years on the Australian Open in February, dropping to Naomi Osaka within the semi-finals, and her subsequent likelihood comes at Roland Garros subsequent month.
Williams has not been past the fourth spherical on the French Open since returning to the game in 2018 following the beginning of daughter Olympia however she has twice been pressured to withdraw by way of harm.
Mouratoglou cited the 39-year-old’s improved health as the important thing issue behind her spectacular kind in Australia and is trying to proceed that work through the build-up to Roland Garros, which begins on Might 23.
He informed the PA information company: “She did an incredible effort earlier than the Australian Open and was very a lot in form so that is one thing that we undoubtedly need to maintain and proceed to enhance as a result of it’s a key, and it’s going to be much more a key on clay.
“I believe she will be able to actually play excellent on clay, she simply must be actually very match as a result of on clay the serve shouldn’t be as environment friendly and you must work rather more. Each rally is a battle. However I really feel if she’s actually, actually prepared, bodily 100 per cent, then she may be very harmful on clay as nicely.
“The extent is excessive however I nonetheless imagine that, when Serena is 100 per cent on the high of her bodily kind, she will be able to win any slam.”
A lot was manufactured from Williams’ tearful exit from the Australian Open, the place she abruptly left her ultimate press convention after a lingering wave to Rod Laver Enviornment.
The 23-time grand slam singles champion has not been seen on a match courtroom since, pulling out of the Miami Open following dental surgical procedure.
“She was extraordinarily disillusioned as a result of she actually felt like she was able to win it, she was taking part in actually, actually good tennis,” stated Mouratoglou.
“She actually felt this one was for her and he or she was disillusioned about her match and her efficiency. Naomi performed a great match however it was not the identical Serena by far.
“It’s all the time troublesome to take some positives when you have got a giant disappointment like that however there are some positives and I informed her that her health was actually nice and that’s the important thing and now we have to maintain working like that.”
She is going to shortly head to Mouratoglou’s academy in Good to step up her preparations for the clay-court season.
Having misplaced solely seven occasions in slam finals or semi-finals in her first 60 tournaments, Williams has fallen at these hurdles in 10 of her final 17 appearances.
She has made no secret of how a lot she desires a twenty fourth title to equal Margaret Court docket’s all-time report, though she has performed that down lately, and the problem for Williams is to have the ability to carry her finest when the trophy is in sight.
“There may be clearly a hurdle that we have to move however she’s been shut so many occasions,” stated Mouratoglou.
“You must be as match as potential, in order that’s the plan, and naturally mentally there’s all the time this battle in opposition to stress and in opposition to your self, which is a part of what tennis is about.”
Mouratoglou’s academy has earned a status because the foremost venue of its sort in Europe, and the Frenchman can also be a part of the teaching groups of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Coco Gauff.
Mouratoglou has expanded his portfolio with tennis centres in Dubai and now Greece, the place he has partnered with the five-star Costa Navarino resort.
Tsitsipas will participate within the second season of Mouratoglou’s Final Tennis Showdown, which launched final yr and goals to draw new and youthful followers to the game with a fast-paced format and emphasis on leisure.
The primary occasion of the season has been postponed from subsequent week till Might 17-19 due to coronavirus.
Tsitsipas, who’s chasing his first Masters 1000 title in Miami this week, reached his second successive slam semi-final in Australia after coming from two units right down to defeat Rafael Nadal.
The 22-year-old is likely one of the crop of younger gamers making an attempt to interrupt the slam stranglehold of Novak Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer, and Mouratoglou stated: “I believe he’s shut and much on the similar time.
“It’s solely two matches away however there’s a giant distinction between successful these two and never successful these two.
“Stefanos has crushed everybody however now he must be very constant in these large (ATP) tournaments, he must win some, after which he’ll be prepared.”
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