Serena Williams Must Handle Pressure Better, Grand Slam Record Still Alive: Mouratoglou

Serena Williams has accepted in the past that she is in the twilight of her career and may not be playing for many years to come but that has not stopped her from challenging for the top titles. The American has made four Grand Slam finals in the last 14 months after returning to the game following the birth of her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian.

The 23-time women’s singles Grand Slam champion, however, has not been able to make that final step and has lost on all four occasions leaving her one short of matching Margaret Court’s all-time Grand Slam record of 24 titles. There is a strong consensus that she could miss out after squandering multiple opportunities but Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes his charge will have more opportunities as she is yet to get back to her best.

Williams will turn 38-years-old later this month and Mouratoglou is certain age will not play a part in the American missing out on the record. He believes she still on her way back to recapturing her best form despite losing all four Grand Slam finals in straight sets.

"I think time is working for her," Mouratoglou told Sky Sports' Mathieu Wood in an exclusive interview at the Mouratoglou Academy. "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 looked dominant during the 2019 US Open and was favorite going into the match against teenager Bianca Andreescu, who was playing her first major final. It was the same when she faced Naomi Osaka 12 months earlier but the outcome was completely different from what everyone expected.

The American went down in straight sets against both her opponents, which was unlike the dominant player, who had won 22 of her first 25 Grand Slam final matches. Williams has now lost six of her last eight major finals and Mouratoglou believes it is the pressure of creating history that is holding her back and moreover, the opponents are being able to play without one shred of pressure.

“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.”