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Four-time major champion Naomi Osaka said on Wednesday she “didn’t want to have regrets” after confirming she has teamed up with Serena Williams’ renowned former coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 73, defeated Lucia Bronzetti of Italy 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the WTA 1000 China Open with the Frenchman Mouratoglou in her players’ box.

The 26-year-old Osaka split from Belgian coach Wim Fissette this month as she attempts to return to the form that propelled her to the top of the women’s game.

Japan’s Osaka said she “felt like I needed a change” and described Mouratoglou, who is best known as Williams’ long-time former coach, as “a big persona”.

“I like the way he coaches. I think it’s going to be really interesting,” she said in Beijing after setting up a second-round meeting with 21st seed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.

“I think I’m at a stage in my life that I don’t want to have regrets. I’d rather pull the trigger on something and I don’t want to say ‘fail’, but I feel like I really need to learn as much as possible in this stage of my career.

“Patrick seemed like the guy with I guess the information that I wanted to learn from.”

Fissette had two stints coaching Osaka, from 2019 to the summer of 2022 and again when they reunited last year as Osaka launched her return to tennis after the birth of her daughter Shai in July 2023.

Osaka has struggled to put together victories since she returned to the WTA Tour in January.

She bowed out in the second round of the recent US Open and her best results since returning to action have been two quarter-final appearances.

Osaka, who won the China Open in 2019, admitted being a little wary initially about Mouratoglou, given the 54-year-old’s long and successful association with the legendary Williams.

“I think the fact that he was Serena’s coach for me made me want to avoid him just because his persona is so big,” she said.

“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.”

Osaka said she was “still a little nervous around him”.

“I kind of look to the floor when he looks at me. I think I do need a lot more time to spend together with him,” she said.

“I’m getting a little more comfortable day by day.”

AFP

akaahs:
The name sound black man though

slaawomirr:
Damnnn niggar

Isoright

God001:
Will the president listen, there's serious hunger in the land

Some of these children are not even in school


Is this how leaders in other climes develop their countries? Let's be honest, president Tinubu will not survive six months as president in saner climes.

akaahs:
The name sound black man though

NaijaCrusader:
That's the pitiful thing about women and sports coping with child bearing and being an elite athlete is very difficult for women. I don't think any woman has won more than one grand slam after having a child but the likes of Federer and Djokovic have lots of grand slam titles after children.
Well good luck to her.

Calitoscassius:
Yep! And they also get carried away by the celebrity status and social media attentions. This is what happened to miss Raducanu.

kiddkash:
It is Greek name. So maybe he or his ancestors are from greece

slaawomirr:
Damnnn niggar

Isoright

Calitoscassius:
Yep! And they also get carried away by the celebrity status and social media attentions. This is what happened to miss Raducanu.

finallybusy:
Naomi’s problem lies between her ears. Her body is capable, but her mind is weak. Shocking for an athlete. Maybe she was lucky from talent. Add having a baby with an ABC rapper and I would blame her wholly if she can’t make a solid comeback.

akaahs:
The name sound black man though

TheStrongest:
Emma Raducanu became too woke. She made herself a tool for this age woke bs.. I really liked that girl, she just fell off so easy.

fredoooooo:
They pay more attention to fashion and fame than Tennis..

Calitoscassius:
I was a big fan of Miss Raducanu, i went to watch her when she played in England. She was a very good tennis player, Suddenly she just went downhill.


You are absolutely correct she went "woke" and lost focus on tennis playing. It is really sad, but hey! She is a rich girl now, tennis doesn't matter anymore.


Last year she made £12 million without even lifting a tennis bat.