Naomi Osaka is currently enjoying a golden run of form under her brand-new leadership, having opted to undergo a trial period alongside Tomasz Wiktorowski throughout the Canadian Open.
Heading into the event, the four-time Grand Slam champion will have been somewhat downbeat, coming off the back of a third-round exit at Wimbledon and another shock defeat to Emma Raducanu in Washington on her favoured surface.
However, she knew that a change was needed, and as such, Osaka split with Patrick Mouratoglou, viewing that as her best option given the circumstances.
It’s fair to say that, thus far, it seems to have been a wise decision.
Ironically, it’s one that the Frenchman, most famed for his work coaching Serena Williams, had foreseen.
What Patrick Mouratoglou said about his split with Naomi Osaka
Speaking to CNN, Mouratoglou explained why he and Osaka split at length.
It was an insightful and honest outlook on the decision, which did seem mutual from the outside looking in.
Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
And he clearly wants nothing but the best for the Japanese tennis star, who has struggled since returning to tennis at the start of 2024.
Mouratoglou admitted: “The thing that was missing was the competitiveness. I think she’s a great competitor, but at that time she was not as good as a competitor as I think can be and she has been in the past. And this is the thing that we didn’t solve.
“I wish we could have more time to solve it. But we didn’t, that’s life, and I have no regrets on that because that’s the rule when you work in high level. I mean, time is important, and you have to solve the problems fast. So I think that was the key that was missing.
“And when we stopped, I said to her, ‘I mean, I think you’re ready. If you find the person that will help you get back your efficiency during the matches, I think you’re ready to do great results right now, and I hope it’s going to happen very soon.’”
Naomi Osaka’s result since splitting with Patrick Mouratoglou
In the run-up to her decision to split with Mouratoglou, Naomi Osaka’s form has been dire; especially compared to the dominance she had become accustomed to before taking a break from the sport.
She had lost in the third, first and third rounds of all three Grand Slams in 2025 respectively, and had failed to win three straight matches in one tournament since Rome in early May.
It was completely uncharacteristic and not good enough for her lofty standards.
Since making the coaching switch, Osaka has since won six straight matches in one event for the first time since claiming the 2021 Australian Open title, losing just a single set at the Cincinnati Open thus far.
Victoria Mboko now stands between her and Masters 1000 glory, with the teenage hometown hero sure to offer a really tough challenge for the 27-year-old.
AloJapan.com