Naomi Osaka’s coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has ignited a firestorm online after bluntly stating that current WTA stars like Iga Świątek and Coco Gauff are yet to reach the “superstar” status once held by the likes of Serena Williams. In a follow-up video addressing the backlash, Mouratoglou didn’t walk back his comments.
Instead, he doubled down, emphasizing that star power, not just ranking, dictates which players command primetime attention and fill up stadiums.
Patrick Mouratoglou Responds to Criticism Over Coco Gauff, Iga Świątek Compared to Serena Williams
The comments come during heightened debate over gender inequality at Roland Garros, where only men’s matches were slotted into the coveted night session throughout this year’s tournament. These prime-time matches, starting at 8:15 p.m. local time, are billed as marquee events, but the absence of female players has fueled criticism.
In an attempt to shift the narrative, Mouratoglou released a video titled “Are Night Sessions Really Gender-Biased?” where he attempted to explain the rationale behind the French Open’s programming decisions.
In a detailed explanation in his latest follow-up video posted to his Instagram account, Mouratoglou responded to the criticism head-on. He argued that the term “superstar” transcends athletic dominance or Grand Slam victories.
“There is a real difference between being a top player playing incredible tennis and being a star,” Mouratoglou said. “I explained that women’s tennis at the moment lacks superstars.”
He made it clear that his comments weren’t meant as an insult to players like Świątek and Gauff but rather as an observation on their current cultural impact. “There is one big star, I think, in women’s tennis, which is Coco. In terms of aura, she’s higher than anyone at the moment. I’m not saying that they will not be in the future.”
“I said that there has been huge superstars in women’s tennis. I’m thinking about Serena, Venus [Williams], [Maria] Sharapova. And it can happen to men’s tennis also to have some era when you don’t have stars. It happened in the past. Between the Sampras-Agassi and the Roger-Rafa, there were no superstars of that level on men’s tennis.”
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Mouratoglou Highlights Williams’ Unique Cultural Impact Beyond Athletic Excellence
Using past examples, Mouratoglou emphasized the difference between athletic excellence and mainstream recognition. He pointed to Serena Williams’ unmatched cultural resonance, recalling how tickets for the U.S. Open women’s final sold out before the men’s for the first time in history when she played.
He also mentioned a lesser-known example from Sweden: “When we went to Bastad in Sweden with Serena, the year before the final wasn’t sold out. Serena comes, and before the tournament even starts, the whole week is sold out.”
Mouratoglou illustrated what he called “the superstar effect,” stating, “Superstars fill up stadiums. There are people who step onto the court, and they take it over. They’re able also to have an aura out of the court, and they become big. Take a taxi and ask questions. Oh, do you know tennis? No, I’m not a tennis fan. Okay, who do you know? 90% of the time I ask women, Serena.”
“Most of the time, the men say, oh, Rafa. They are way beyond tennis. Those people are not tennis fans, but they know Serena. Everybody knows Serena.”
Patrick is exactly right. There are no superstars right now. Coco is the closest and being an American helps if she stays healthy and on point she will be the next superstar.
Coco is a star. In time, she might become a superstar. You must command attention with talent and personality. At present, their is no tennis superstar.