Mouratoglou admits to coaching Serena during US Open final

Serena Williams' coach Patrick Mouratoglou said he tried to get a message to the American during the US Open final.

Published : Sep 09, 2018 09:04 IST

Serena Williams' coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Serena Williams' coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
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Serena Williams' coach Patrick Mouratoglou.

Patrick Mouratoglou admitted to coaching Serena Williams during the US Open final, but believes the American great never received his message.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion suffered a 6-2, 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka in a contentious decider in New York on Saturday.

However, the final was overshadowed by Williams receiving three code violations – coaching, racket abuse and verbal abuse – and eventually a game penalty on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Read: Osaka defeats Serena in dramatic final

Mouratoglou said he had attempted to help Williams, but added coaching was common in almost every match.

"I'm honest, I was coaching. I don't think she looked at me so that's why she didn't even think I was," he said.

"But I was, like 100 per cent of the coaches in 100 per cent of the matches so we have to stop this hypocritical thing. Sascha [Bajin, Osaka's coach] was coaching every point, too.

"It's strange that this chair umpire [Carlos Ramos] was the chair umpire of most of the finals of Rafa [Nadal] and [his uncle] Toni's coaching every single point and he never gave a warning so I don't really get it."

Williams was surprised to hear of Mouratoglou's admission, saying she had sent her coach a text asking for an explanation.

"We have never discussed signals. I don't even call for on-court coaching. I'm trying to figure out why he would say that," she said. "I don't understand. I mean, maybe he said, 'You can do it.'

Also read: Unrepentant Serena claims she was unfairly treated

"I was on the far other end, so I'm not sure. I want to clarify myself what he's talking about."

Asked if the umpire had to give her the warning, Williams responded: "No, because I wasn't being coached.

"If I look at my box and they say, 'C'mon' or 'Good job', I don't know what else to do. After that I didn't even look at my box anymore."

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