In a surprising turn of events, Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam champion, has ended her coaching partnership with Patrick Mouratoglou after a 10-month collaboration that sparked hope but fell short of recapturing her dominant form. The announcement, made via social media on July 27, 2025, came just days after a straight-sets loss to Emma Raducanu at the Mubadala Citi DC Open and on the eve of the WTA 1000 Canadian Open in Montreal. Osaka’s decision marks a pivotal moment as she seeks to reignite her career ahead of the US Open, a tournament she has won twice, beginning August 24, 2025.
Osaka expressed gratitude for her time with Mouratoglou, whose storied career includes guiding Serena Williams to 10 of her 23 Grand Slam titles. “Merci Patrick ❤️ it was such a great experience learning from you. Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and I’m sure I’ll see you around 🙏🏽,” Osaka wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her practicing under Mouratoglou’s watchful eye. The French coach reciprocated the sentiment, posting on Instagram, “Nothing lasts forever. What counts is what a collaboration has brought to each other and what lasts after. After 10 months of collaboration, we have decided to part ways professionally. I am grateful for the trust, the journey and what we have built together. I will always root for you and wish you nothing but the best.” The mutual respect in their farewell messages underscores a professional yet amicable split, though neither elaborated on the specific reasons behind the decision.
The partnership, which began in September 2024 after Osaka parted ways with longtime coach Wim Fissette, showed flashes of promise but was plagued by inconsistency and injuries. Osaka, who took a hiatus in 2023 to give birth to her daughter Shai, returned to the WTA Tour in 2024 with high expectations. Under Mouratoglou’s guidance, she kicked off their collaboration with a fourth-round appearance at the China Open in Beijing, defeating Lucia Bronzetti in straight sets. Early in 2025, she reached the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland, only to retire due to an abdominal injury. That same injury forced her to withdraw in the third round of the Australian Open against Belinda Bencic. A highlight came on clay, a surface where Osaka historically struggled, as she claimed her first title since her 2021 Australian Open triumph at the WTA 125 event in Saint-Malo, France. “I think I’m at a stage in my life that I don’t want to have regrets,” Osaka had said earlier in the season, reflecting her commitment to maximizing her career’s potential.
Despite these moments of brilliance, Osaka’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster. With a 21-11 record and a current ranking of No. 49, she has yet to advance past the third round of a Grand Slam since her 2021 Australian Open victory. Losses to Paula Badosa in the first round of the French Open and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the third round at Wimbledon highlighted her struggles in clutch moments, with six of her last seven defeats coming in three sets or tiebreaks. The defeat to Raducanu in Washington, where Osaka admitted her serve percentages were off, appeared to be a turning point. “I think honestly I have been working on my return a lot, and ironically I don’t think it was that bad today. I think she served quite well,” Osaka said post-match, acknowledging Raducanu’s prowess while vowing to refine her own game.
As Osaka transitions to a new phase, reports indicate she has already begun a trial with Tomasz Wiktorowski, the Polish coach who guided Iga Swiatek to four of her six Grand Slam titles and Agnieszka Radwanska to a Wimbledon final. Wiktorowski joined Osaka in Montreal, where she opened her Canadian Open campaign with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Canadian qualifier Ariana Arseneault on July 28, 2025. This win, completed in 76 minutes, offered a glimpse of Osaka’s resilience, especially after a fire scare disrupted her preparations the previous night. Facing world No. 515 Arseneault, Osaka displayed the powerful baseline game that made her a former world No. 1, setting up a second-round clash with 13th seed Liudmila Samsonova.
Osaka’s journey back to the top is a compelling narrative in women’s tennis. Her mental strength and marketability remain unmatched, but consistency has eluded her since her maternity break. The hard courts of the Canadian Open and the upcoming Cincinnati Open present critical opportunities to build momentum before the US Open, where she aims to reclaim her status among the elite. With Wiktorowski’s tactical acumen in her corner on a trial basis, Osaka is betting on a fresh perspective to unlock her potential. As she navigates this transition, the tennis world watches eagerly to see if the Japanese star can rediscover the form that once made her a global icon.
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