Long time coach of Serena Williams, Patrick Mouratoglou will work with former world no.1, Simona Halep on a “full-time” basis. According to Mouratoglou’s statement, Halep had asked if he was available to coach. She asked him while training at his academy in southern France before flying to last month’s tournament at Indian Wells.
Serena Williams has been coached by Mouratoglou since 2012. However, she has not played since Wimbledon in June 2021, after sustaining a leg injury. Williams’ absence has meant Mouratoglou has had little to do and the Frenchman admitted he has missed coaching over the past eight months.
Patrick has also worked with the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas Coco Gauff. He will now work with two-time major winner Halep permanently after speaking with Williams.
Patrick Mouratoglou to coach Simona Halep
Simona Halep has wanted to work with Mouratoglou for some time. The Frenchman says he initially turned down the chance to coach the Romanian due to him mentoring Serena Williams.
However, after speaking to Williams he changed his mind and has now agreed to work permanently with Halep. He said, “Simona came to the Mouratoglou Academy before Indian Wells for a training block. I swung by at a few of her practices, watched her train.”
He added, “In the last eight months, I realized how much I missed coaching. It is the passion of my life, and I still feel like I have so much to give. A few weeks later, I had a conversation with Serena, and the door opened for me, at least short term, to work with someone else.”
I am now the full-time coach of @Simona_Halep. pic.twitter.com/MRlkmeJyhw
— Patrick Mouratoglou (@pmouratoglou) April 7, 2022
After enduring a horrid 2021 due to injuries, Simona Halep wanting to return to the top of the world and revive her career made her return to court.
This season appears to be going well for the Romanian. Halep won the Melbourne Summer Series 1 in January and reached the semi-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. She also reached the fourth round of the Australian Open but lost to Alize Cornet in three sets.
With the French Open fast approaching, Halep will hope Mouratoglou can help guide her to a second Roland-Garros title.