Naomi Osaka has officially confirmed her split with Patrick Mouratoglou, bringing to an end their ten-month working relationship.
It’s never nice to see a partnership like this fizzle out, especially with a player of her calibre and stature.
Alas, things have not been good enough compared to her lofty standards, with her inability to clamber back up the rankings since taking a break from tennis having proved costly for her coach.
Something had to change, and in the end, he was identified as one potential cause for her stagnation.
So now she has some searching to do if she is to find the perfect match to reignite her career.
Naomi Osaka and Patrick Mouratoglou both confirm their split in social media statements
Fortunately for all involved, both parties seem to have split on good terms.
That was evidenced in both statements put out last night, with Naomi Osaka’s being the first to confirm the dissolution of their partnership.
She wrote on an Instagram story: “Merci Patrick. It was such a great experience learning from you. Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Mouratoglou then offered his own thoughts, returning with a post on the same platform that finished by stating “I will always root for you and wish you nothing but the best.”
These comments are clearly the work of two individuals who boast great mutual respect for one another.
However, they are made particularly interesting when compared with what Osaka said about Mouratoglou when first hiring him.
What Naomi Osaka said when she first hired Patrick Mouratoglou
Speaking to the BBC, she made it very clear what she was hoping to get out of working with such a high-profile name.
After all, Osaka claimed that she was really expecting this to be a long-term commitment, despite admitting she initially wanted to ‘avoid’ him.
She claimed: “The fact that he was Serena’s coach made me want to avoid him just because his persona is so big.
“This isn’t rude, because I found out it’s not true, but I didn’t know if he was a good coach or he coached Serena. Then I met him, talked to him, worked with him on the court. He absolutely is a really good coach.”
“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.
Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images
“I try not to get into relationships with people for the short term. I try to think of it as a long-term commitment.”
This is worth noting alongside what Jim Courier said about Mouratoglou and Osaka’s coaching relationship, as he cited the problem he might have been causing her without even meaning to.
These comments are particularly interesting now, as many will wonder whether she should have trusted her instincts after failing to succeed in creating a long-term dynasty with Mouratoglou.