Naomi Osaka was clear about her intentions after winning her first match with new coach Patrick Mouratoglou, stating that she did not want to have any regrets. The four-time grand slam champion recently parted ways with long-time coach Wim Fissette and immediately sought guidance from Frenchman Mouratoglou, who has been a pivotal figure in Serena Williams’ career for the past decade.

Following her return to the WTA Tour earlier this season after the birth of her daughter Shai, Osaka has faced challenges and setbacks in her progress, with her current ranking at 73. However, she made a promising start at the China Open in Beijing, defeating Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti with a score of 6-3 6-2.

Reflecting on her decision to work with Mouratoglou, Osaka admitted, “Like, this isn’t rude because I found out it’s not true, but I didn’t know if he was a good coach or he coached Serena. I think I’m at a stage in my life that I don’t want to have regrets. I’d rather pull the trigger on something and – I don’t want to say ‘fail’ – but I feel like I really need to learn as much as possible in this stage of my career. Patrick seemed like the guy with, I guess, the information that I wanted to learn from.”

With a new coach by her side, Osaka is focused on growth and development as she navigates the next phase of her career.