Tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou opens up on recent split with Naomi Osaka
Someone rooting for her success: Mouratoglou.
'She's doing well for the moment in Montreal. Let's hope she's going to go all the way,' Mouratoglou said in an interview with CNN Sports on Tuesday. 'I think her level of tennis is here.
'Physically, she is ready, and she's a great competitor, she's a great champion.So at some point, it's going to work out. I have no doubt about it.'
Osaka, currently ranked No. 49, is having her best run of the season, and it's coming on Canadian soil – and on the type of surface where she's had her best results of her career. In Montreal, she'll take on Elina Svitolina on Tuesday night for a spot in the semifinals.
'I'm just trying to rack up hard court wins,' Osaka said Sunday, after advancing to the quarterfinals. 'I think I'm pretty confident with my base right now.'
Osaka is seeking her first WTA Tour title since she hoisted the Australian Open trophy in 2021.
Results of the partnership with Osaka and Mouratoglou were mixed, which included injuries and uneven results. Osaka won her first title since becoming a mother in May, in a lower-tier WTA 125 event in France. In January, she reached her first WTA Tour final since returning from maternity leave, but she was forced to retire mid-match because of an abdominal injury. Her best results at grand slams so far this year are reaching the round of 32 at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Mouratoglou, known for his great success coaching Serena Williams, discussed the split with Osaka and her subsequent run in Montreal with CNN.
'The thing that was missing was the competitiveness,' Mouratoglou said of Osaka on when the pair were working together. '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.''
Mouratoglou released a book in the spring called 'Champion Mindset,' which focuses on the mental approach to the game and life. He was asked by CNN if he would describe himself as a tennis coach or a mental coach.
'The mental is a huge part of that sport, probably the most important part,' Mouratoglou said to CNN. 'So I think it's important that the coaches are able to also help the players on that aspect of the game.
'Am I a mental coach? I hope I'm not only a mental coach because, you know what, when you are a coach, as tennis is so complex, there is a huge technical aspect – a huge mental aspect, and the physical is extremely important.
'So every player will bring you different problematics that you have to solve; otherwise they would be No. 1 already. If they're not, it means on the way from where they are to No. 1, you will have to solve things and help them solve them.
'So my goal is to have the tools to solve any kind of, do I think I'm maybe better on the on the mental side? I think so, but I hope I'm good enough on the other ones too.'
After the split with Mouratoglou, Osaka started working with Polish tennis coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, known for his success with Iga Swiatek. In that three-year partnership, Swiatek won four major titles. Wiktorowski also coached another former Polish tennis star in Agnieszka Radwanska.
Osaka told reporters Sunday she is enjoying working with Wiktorowski.
'I enjoy his coaching style,' she said Sunday. 'He's very direct and to the point. For someone like me, who my thoughts scatter around often, it's very helpful.'
On how she currently measures success, Osaka still is eying the majors, saying: 'I talked to my dad, and he said, 'Just being healthy and happy is a form of success.' I agree with that, but I want more.
'I mean, definitely of course I would want to win slams, of course I would want to be in the top 10, but I think I need to pace myself and go for the mini goals, and they'll eventually turn into the big goals.
'I think being in the quarterfinals here is a step to hopefully getting to the semis and the finals, so I'll try to treat it more like that.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How can we restore the joy to the NBA All-Star Game? The WNBA showed the way
When's the last time you had fun watching an NBA All-Star game? A league's All-Star Game is a marquee event and should be one filled with hype and excitement. But in recent years, the conversation around the NBA's All-Star festivities has been about what needs changing to make it more interesting. The WNBA, however, is seeing record viewership and attendance. Growing enthusiasm around the W has made its All-Star events a hot topic on social media. The NBA All-Star Game of today is about the three Rs: rest, recovery and ramping up for the playoffs. But NBA players could take one specific note from the W: This year's WNBA All-Star Weekend turned into a celebration of its players, fans and culture. With more people watching, WNBA players also used the opportunity to advocate for their collective bargaining discussions with T-shirts that read 'Pay us what you owe us' during pregame. Sharing the joy of playing basketball should be a layup. The NBA will soon play its 80th season, and we are now experiencing a shift in the game with more international players, as well as what looks like a changing of the guard with players such as LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant being late in their careers. Seeing the veterans and younger players tell their stories with basketball as the background would offer a nice change of pace. Learning what niche or random interest or hobby players have would help highlight who they are for casual fans unable to recite the information typically found on the back of a trading card. This season, the WNBA added hockey-like live-ball substitutions and the 4-point line to make things more interesting. The game itself wasn't highly competitive (or featured much defense) as Team Collier blew out Team Clark 151-131. But the hype wasn't around the game or skills challenges. Fans seemed to understand it was an exhibition, and players weren't going to play super hard in a game that didn't count. Instead, the enjoyment came from the excitement of players and the weekend itself, helped in part by the popularity of the 72-hour StudBudz livestream. The StudBudz, run by Minnesota Lynx players and close friends Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, gave WNBA fans a rare glimpse into players' off-court lives, sharing behind-the-scenes looks at their experiences during their All-Star weekend. It was the kind of access traditional media doesn't have. Fans on social media were sharing clips of every ounce of access they could get. With the use of livestreams, WNBA players were able to give fans at home an unprecedented peek behind the curtain. At the WNBA All-Star Game, players mingled and integrated themselves in many events like merchandise pop-ups, panels and parties with the fans. They signed everything. They showed up for their fans and, in some cases, allowed them to get close to them. Players, alumni and fans connected in a way we don't normally get to see, but it has become common for the W. That's what All-Star Weekend should be about: sharing that joy and making the players accessible and relatable, allowing fans to connect beyond a player's on-court performance. '(WNBA) players have a clear understanding that this particular weekend is about the fans,' Connecticut Sun sideline reporter Terrika Foster-Brasby said. 'You obviously want to protect your players, and you want to ensure that your players have security and that you know there aren't random people doing and saying crazy things. 'But there is a level of accessibility that you have with women in the WNBA that you don't have with men in the NBA. I think that kind of creates this vision that the NBA players are sort of untouchable, or that they are unapproachable.' While that might not be so easy to do with NBA players, humanizing players is one of the things making the WNBA different from other leagues. Seeing players laughing, dancing and having fun with one another reminds fans these aren't just athletes who accomplish incredible things on the court, but multidimensional people — something we don't see much of at the NBA All-Star Game. Seeing coaches and even commissioner Cathy Engelbert interact with fans adds to the WNBA's charm. At the NBA All-Star Game, players look as if it's a chore to be there. During the 2025 Skills Challenge, Team Spurs, composed of veteran Chris Paul and French basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyama, intentionally missed their shots to try to cut down on their time and move on to the next obstacle. The drill consisted of a variety of passes before the players reached a rack of balls to shoot. Paul and Wembanyama weren't even trying to connect on their shot attempts. The crowd, aware of the gamesmanship on display, rained boos on Paul. The duo was disqualified for not taking valid shots. While Paul and Wembanyama thought this strategy would benefit them, it was a joyless moment for the fans. Seeing one of the greatest point guards of all time and a 7-4 big man show the same skills would not only have had the crowd rocking and given them something to cheer for, but also have been a great example of how NBA players' skills have evolved. This year's NBA All-Star Game included a new tournament-like format, and the reception from fans was mixed. The frequent discussion of format changes around the NBA's game has shown that ship's probably sailed in terms of legislating the fun and excitement back into the event. Changing the rules and adding gimmicks hasn't yet seemed to make the All-Star Game more interesting to fans or players. Fans know they're watching a game that doesn't count, but they still want to see their favorites putting on a show. While there was a complete lack of defense in the women's game, they looked as if they enjoyed being there. The celebratory feel of the WNBA's All-Star Weekend shone through the players. Even with several tweaks to the format throughout the last few years, the moments of joy have been fleeting recently at the NBA All-Star Weekend. The players selected for the All-Star Game are already the league's elite, so what incentive can motivate them to play any harder? 'I think the players want to be viewed as regular guys, as regular human beings having fun, hanging out with my friends and my guys. I don't think the league always puts them in the best position to give them that human aspect,' Foster-Brasby said. 'You can see it even at W All-Star, because a lot of times NBA players are there, and they don't necessarily have that guarded view during WNBA All-Star that they have during NBA All-Star. You can see it feels like they're a little bit more relaxed, and they feel a little bit more comfortable within that space.' Maybe instead of new rules, the NBA needs to make the weekend more player and fan-focused. The NBA has open practices on All-Star Saturday, but there is always room for more fan engagement. The WNBA community has its groups and cliques among the fan base, and they're close-knit. Access and connectivity to the players have organically created a growing interest in the league and the players as individuals. All-Star Weekend highlighted that in a way we'd never seen before. 'I think proximity and authenticity is the name of the game,' said Khristina Williams, host 'In Case You Missed It,' a women's basketball podcast. 'WNBA players are digital natives. Utilizing social media … that type of technology is always going to hit for women's sports or women's basketball, because for years and years none of their stuff was available. They've capitalized on building their brands through connecting with their fans.' The NBA All-Star break was extended during the 2013-14 season from five days to seven to allow players more time to rest, but the break isn't the true midpoint of the season, as teams head into the break having played more than 50 games. Understandably, players don't want to risk injury in a game that doesn't count. But when players appear as if they don't care about participating in the events, it's neither fun nor entertaining. When Major League Baseball held the first All-Star Game on July 6, 1933, at Comiskey Park in Chicago ('the Game of the Century,' according to the Chicago Tribune) to coincide with the 1933 World's Fair, the intention was a celebration of the sport and an opportunity to showcase baseball's top talent and their skills. The NBA held its first All-Star Game at Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. A crowd of more than 10,000 packed the arena to see the league's best. Inaugural All-Star MVP 'Easy' Ed Macauley of the Boston Celtics finished with 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting as the East defeated the West 111-94. Like MLB, the game became a fan favorite. But it's not easy for any league to host an All-Star Game. Times have changed. Before interleague play, it was rare for American League fans to see National League players and vice versa. In the NBA, it was rare for someone in Cleveland to see the Denver Nuggets or the Portland Trail Blazers. All-Star games were the places to see the best in one spot. Now, with NBA League Pass and MLB Extra Innings, we can see any player at any time. The NFL and NHL have also recently changed their formats as leagues are constantly trying things to infuse new life into their midseason break. MLB's All-Star Game has seen its popularity diminished because superstars don't play the majority of the game and many starters leave before it ends. This year's Midsummer Classic ended in a tie after nine innings, so it led to the first All-Star swing-off. Despite the lack of starters like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, the mini-home run derby went over well and brought some of the joy back to the event. If the NBA wants to infuse some enthusiasm into the events, the WNBA just gave them a great playbook to follow and make their own. Players should see All-Star Weekend as an opportunity to take off their cool and let people see who they are, honor the history of the game and celebrate with the fans. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. NBA, WNBA, Culture 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
21 minutes ago
- New York Times
Dylan Raiola enters Year 2 to less fanfare, but is Nebraska's QB poised to break out?
LINCOLN, Neb. — The odd-couple award inside the Nebraska football program goes to John Butler and Dylan Raiola. Butler is the first-year defensive coordinator whose just-under-the-surface intensity demands attention. Matt Rhule, who plucked Butler last year to direct the Huskers' secondary after his 10 years in the NFL, said he's the most competitive person with whom he has worked. Advertisement Raiola is the 20-year-old quarterback, set to enter his second season as the Nebraska starter after he shattered freshman records last year at the school for completion percentage and passing yardage. He gives no indication that he's aware of critics who'd rather mock his headband or his warm-up routine than assess Raiola's throwing dynamics. When Raiola enters the practice environment, a laid-back exterior opens to reveal an inner fire and thirst to better his game. It is here that he struck a kinship in the early practices of the spring with Butler, who spent six seasons before 2024 with the Buffalo Bills. 'He came from the league,' Raiola said. 'He knows what it is.' Their relationship involves a daily sharing of information. 'A constant dialogue,' Butler said. 'I don't initiate it because I'm coaching on defense. But if he's coming to me with a question, I'll tell him. There's no secrets.' The Raiola storyline during this offseason that mattered to Rhule and to offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen did not involve anything that drove public awareness around the former five-star prospect. You'll hear no talk internally about Raiola's mimicry of Patrick Mahomes or of the apparent dismissal in national conversations of the traits that led Ohio State, Georgia and USC to prioritize their pursuit of Raiola out of high school two years ago. What captivates the Huskers about him? Raiola's desires to learn and to lead. It is perhaps most on display in how Raiola goes out of his way to match wits with the 52-year-old Butler. 'The No. 1 thing that impresses me about him is his curiosity for football, which is not common,' Butler said. 'That's very uncommon for all players.' The coordinator threw exotic looks at Raiola in offseason drills. The more complexities that the defenders showed the QB, the more engaged Raiola grew in trying to learn from Butler. Advertisement 'It's a competitive balance for me, where I'm like, 'OK, I don't really want to be messing with the quarterback, but I want to be able to teach our own defense about what he's seeing,' Butler said. 'Having been around Josh Allen for a good bit and having competed against guys like (Tom) Brady for a long time, I think that willingness to try to figure it out, that willingness to be like, 'I want to know the answers to the test if I can, based on how everything's put together,' that's an elite trait of his.' Butler said he talks often with his defensive players about 'expanding their football brain,' a tactic at which Raiola sets the standard, according to Nebraska coaches and teammates. That he also ranks among the most talented Huskers and plays the most important position bodes well. 'Nebraska deserves to be back on the map,' Raiola said. 'And it's not because of me or something that I did. But it's just the type of program it is. It's a program ready to go win.' Make no mistake, if it happens for the Huskers this year, Raiola is the most likely figure to stand at the center of the resurgence. A four-game losing streak for Nebraska hit in the middle of Raiola's freshman season last fall. It threatened to derail progress in Year 2 for Rhule. But the coach envisioned such struggles. He sold Raiola on the value of overcoming them when Rhule pitched the quarterback on the Huskers before he committed to Georgia — and ultimately flipped to Nebraska days before the signing period opened in December 2023. Rhule told Raiola what he already knew. Raiola could pick one of the most established programs nationally, a team that competed annually for national championships before he arrived. He could be asked to make a big throw to win a game, Rhule said. He might do it. But when Raiola got to the NFL and adversity hit, would he be ready? Advertisement 'I said, 'Come to Nebraska,'' Rhule said. ''It's going to be hard. There'll be adversity. You'll be frustrated sometimes. But we will eventually do something great.'' During that four-game skid, Raiola threw seven interceptions and two touchdowns. Holgorsen showed up to take over the offense before the final loss of the streak at USC. Raiola and Nebraska had possession, down 28-20 with a first down at the Trojans' 14-yard line in the final seconds. Four times last year in Nebraska losses, Raiola held the ball in the last three minutes with the Huskers tied or behind by one score. They lost all four games. 'When I got here,' Holgorsen said, 'Dylan's head was swimming a little bit. He kind of hit that freshman wall.' Now? 'He's out there running things,' the OC said. 'He's like an extra coach.' Listen to Dylan Raiola break down a play… 🤯 We've all heard the praise he gets for how well his mind works and how advanced he is in that regard, but for the first time — we get to see that in action. This is incredible stuff. — Blackshirts (@blvckshirts) August 2, 2025 From the most painful moment of last season came perhaps the most growth. In the regular-season finale against Iowa, Nebraska controlled the flow through three quarters but found itself tied at 10 with 15 minutes to play in a hostile stadium. Three fourth-quarter possessions produced nothing for the Huskers. On the last drive, starting with 1:42 to play, Raiola moved Nebraska to its 43-yard line before he lost a fumble while getting sacked. Iowa's Drew Stevens kicked a 53-yard field goal as time expired to win it. Raiola didn't watch the kick. He looked away, hoping Stevens would miss or that the Huskers could block it. 'It was a feeling I won't forget,' the QB said. 'There were a lot of instances like that. But it's a matter of how you respond and get back up and keep swinging.' Advertisement From the experience at Iowa, Raiola progressed in managing reads, Rhule said. The QB took a step against the Hawkeyes by keeping his running back inside to pick up blitzes. Raiola recognized the next move — to change protections at the line of scrimmage so that his back could release and beat the blitz. He put the skill into action in the Pinstripe Bowl, Rhule said, as Nebraska beat Boston College to earn a seventh win for the first time since 2016. 'It's the game within the game,' Rhule said. 'It'll manifest itself, and it won't be a 'wow' play that will show up on ESPN. It'll be a check down. His command of those things — and his willingness to take the play that's there and not try to make too big of a play — is what will allow us to play championship football.' Holgorsen hammers the same message. 'Just keep controlling the game,' he said. 'His football knowledge is advanced. And so we're putting a lot of things on him as far as going to the line of scrimmage and getting us in the best play. And he can do that at a very high level.' Raiola conquered the first challenge placed before him in 2025. He hired a chef and put in extra time with strength coaches and a trainer. A leaner body allowed him to gain quickness. The Huskers want to feature his mobility more regularly than in his first season. By spring, the routine took hold. Raiola moved on to football-specific challenges — comparatively easy for him. Atop the list: Leadership. 'Since that moment he stepped in, you could tell he was different,' offensive guard Henry Lutovsky said. 'He's always been that natural leader.' But was it natural last year when he was 19 and months out of high school? 'Everybody forgets that he was brand new, just because he's 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds,' Holgorsen said. He led all freshmen and ranked 13th in the FBS with a 67.1 percent completion rate. His 13 starts and the struggles that Raiola endured midseason earned him equity with old and new teammates. Transfer wide receivers Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter talk about Raiola with a degree of respect that could only come with experience. Advertisement 'He works his butt off, man,' said running back Emmett Johnson, among Raiola's closest friends on the roster. 'He's been doing a great job. He's becoming a better leader in Year 2. He's way ahead of where he was last year.' Less than three weeks from the Nebraska opener, Aug. 28 against Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, maybe he's not the hotshot who has fans nationally on the edge of their seats to see him perform. Maybe he's something more consequential to Nebraska. He's someone, in the gloom of a morning practice in August, who's bending the ear of the defensive coordinator on how to decipher disguise in a coverage plan. 'Doing something hard is worth it if you come out on the other side,' Raiola said. 'It's trusting it, trusting the process. As much as I didn't want hard things to happen in our program, they happened. And I'm still here now, right?' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
21 minutes ago
- New York Times
What's going on with Kyle Tucker? Examining slump of Cubs star
Both the Cubs' offense as a whole and Kyle Tucker individually were among the best in baseball for the first few months of the season. Now, as the Cubs' offense has struggled to live up to the incredible early standard it set, the spotlight has fallen on Chicago's struggling star. July was markedly different from the early part of the season. And while the dip wasn't awful, it didn't meet expectations for the offense or Tucker. Since July 1, Tucker has a 91 Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) — a stat that measures offensive production, with 100 being league average — with just one home run and three doubles. Advertisement 'Not great,' Tucker said when asked to assess his recent stretch. 'Just doing the best I can. Gotta grind through it. Try and figure it out and turn it around.' There has been speculation that the finger injury Tucker sustained on June 1 while sliding into second base may still be impacting him. Tucker downplayed the magnitude when asked before Wednesday's victory over the Cincinnati Reds, which was a rest day for him. 'I mean, it's fine,' the always understated Tucker said. 'I gotta do my job regardless of how I feel. I'll just continue that the best I can.' Team president Jed Hoyer didn't discount the idea. 'I don't know how much is pain, discomfort, how much is bad habits you got into to compensate for something, and just how much is a slump,' Hoyer said. 'There's no question it's had some impact on him.' That Tucker had his best month in June leads one to believe this isn't solely due to the original finger injury. Tucker had a 174 wRC+ with nine doubles and five home runs (.267 ISO) in June. That should give pause to anyone who believes the finger is the main culprit. Manager Craig Counsell has been adamant that this is just a temporary slump for Tucker. 'There's a lot of good things happening there, it's just he's missing some pitches he feels like he should hit,' Counsell said. 'That's hitting sometimes. You miss a pitch you should hit, a pitcher makes a good pitch and you're walking back to the dugout. That's the fine line of hitting in the big leagues.' A few things are going on with Tucker that suggest things aren't right, but also that he's probably going to snap out of it. The above shows a recent drop in power (ISO), along with a rise in ground balls. Hitting coaches love to say that slug is in the air. Tucker just isn't driving the ball on a line at the moment. Not at the standard he's set for himself, at least. 'I normally hit the ball in the air a lot, and I hit it pretty hard when I do,' Tucker said. 'Obviously haven't been doing that a lot. I have a handful of extra-base hits the last month-and-a-half or whatever. Some of those at-bats, I've hit some hard singles just right at the center fielder, right at the right fielder. Didn't get in the gap or down the line.' Advertisement The chart also shows that Tucker's hard contact has increased in recent weeks. That has come at the same time the ball has been on the ground more than at almost any other point this season. The combination of fouling the ball off and putting it on the ground can often indicate a timing issue. That Tucker isn't chasing at all during this rough patch matters a lot. His walk rate in July was 20.6 percent, leading to a .380 on-base percentage. For a down month, that's incredible. It shows that Tucker can still be productive even if he's not hitting for power. And it shows that his swing decisions remain strong. 'If I was chasing balls in the dirt or above my head all the time, then it's a different story,' Tucker said. 'It's just a matter of making solid contact forward. That's kind of where I'm at. At times, you're going to foul off pitches or swing through pitches you think you should hit. That's kind of where it's been. I need to figure out how to put those in play and hit them harder.' The pillars of hitting are not chasing, not swinging and missing, and hitting the ball hard in the air. Tucker is still doing almost all those things, but his hard contact just hasn't been in the air enough. If this is what a slump looks like for Tucker, then it just goes to show how talented he is. But to be the scary offense the Cubs were at the outset, they'll need Tucker at his best. The smart bet is that things will turn. 'That's how baseball goes sometimes,' Tucker said. 'Just try to ride the wave as best you can and try to turn it around as fast as possible.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
