Serena Williams has time on her side for Grand Slam history, says Patrick Mouratoglou
Serena Williams is “getting back in shape” and eventually it will click for her in Grand Slam finals and she will win that elusive 24th major, according to her coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Since returning to tennis following the birth of her daughter in September 2017, Williams has appeared in four Grand Slam finals, but she failed to win a set in each of those matches.
Williams will turn 38 later this month and her latest final defeat, at the hands of 19-year-old Canadian Bianca Andreescu at the US Open, has left many wondering if she will win another major that will see her draw level with Margaret Court’s record of 24.
Mouratoglou, though, says the American is getting better.
“I think time is working for her,” he told Sky Sports.
“I think she was much better at the US Open than she was at Wimbledon and Wimbledon better than Roland Garros.
“She is getting back in shape and the more in shape she will be the more dangerous she will be. I think she has started to play really good tennis.”
Williams went down in straight sets to Andreescu at Flushing Meadows and the match followed the same trend as the other three finals with her opponents dominating from start to finish.
Mouratoglou believes she will eventually “figure out” how to deal with the added pressures.
“She has to win that last match in the tournament which is always really difficult,” he said.
“It is one match for history and the pressure is quite high. I am not in her mind but I can figure she is playing one match for history.
“This is the highest pressure anyone can have in life and on the other side of the court she plays girls who have zero pressure because it is their first final.
“They are going to play many [Grand Slams], they are young, they are excited, enthusiastic so they play without pressure and that makes a big difference. But at some point she will figure out how to deal with that.”
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