Naomi Osaka has revealed she is at a point in her life where she “does not want to have regrets,” following her decision to hire renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou. The 26-year-old Japanese tennis star, who recently split with Wim Fisette in September, made her debut with Mouratoglou at the China Open, defeating Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti 6-3 6-2 in the first round.
Mouratoglou, who previously coached Serena Williams for nearly a decade, was initially a coach Osaka hesitated to approach.
“The fact that he was Serena’s coach made me want to avoid him because his persona is so big,” Osaka admitted. “But after meeting him, talking to him, and working with him on the court, I realized he is absolutely a great coach.”
Osaka returned to tennis in January after maternity leave, but consistency has eluded her. She has only reached the quarter-finals in two of the 16 tournaments she participated in this season, and she hasn’t advanced beyond the second round of any Grand Slam event.
At this stage of her career, Osaka feels the need to explore all opportunities to grow, stating: “I’d rather pull the trigger on something and learn from it. I don’t want to look back with regrets.”
Osaka will face 21st seed Yulia Putintseva in the second round of the China Open.
