Serena Williams Is Guided By Four Coaches

Written by: Staff on 25th October 2012

Serena Williams Is Guided By Four Coaches

epa03444973 Serena Williams of the USA reacts during her match against Li Na of China at the round-robin stage of the WTA Championships tennis tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, 24 October 2012. Williams won 7-6(2) and 6-3. EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU |

Serena Williams’ camp has expanded and now she has four people around her who have coaching influence: her parents Richard and Oracene, her longtime hitting partner and “touring” coach Sasha Bijan and her new coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.

For the first time in her 13-year career, she decided to spend her post US Open time training in Europe, She went to Paris to work out with Mouratoglou just before she turned 31 on September 26. She hasn’t retuned home since.

“I love Paris; I love the city. I don’t love the new tax rules, so I make sure I’m not there too much,” Serena said. “It is the first time [that I’ve trained in Europe during the fall]. But when you’ve been playing professional for 15 years you need a change sometimes. I feel like I welcome it. Usually I’m in the States and I’m doing this and that and that. It was nice to do and try something different. It keeps me excited and it keeps me motivated. It’s almost like I’m starting over. When you first come out on tour you have so much excitement and you’re so hungry because everything is kind of new. I feel like it’s all coming back like that for me.”

But managing her coaches cannot be that simple. Her father is not with her in Istanbul as his new wife recently gave birth to boy (named Dylan), but her mother, Bijan and Mouratoglou all are. They all have opinions on her game and it can’t be easy to keep everyone’s advice in mind.

“It can definitely be overwhelming,” Serena said. “I think Patrick is doing most of it. I talk to my dad a lot still. My mom was out there today [in her WTA Championships win over Li Na] telling me some things and I was just thinking how helpful it was. I was thinking, ‘Wow, she’s right.’ She says things that are so calming sometimes ‑ not all the time ‑ but she says things that are so calming for me and makes me remember what got me to this stage. So I like having that balance, but definitely, mostly Patrick.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: American tennis news, Li Na, Patrick Mouratoglou, Sasha Bijan, Serena Williams, Wta Championships