Serena Williams’ former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, revealed post-Olympia birth clashes due to weight concerns impacting her tennis. Mouratoglou emphasized that even a pound could hinder her speed, crucial for chasing Grand Slam titles.

Williams, struggling to lose weight despite rigorous efforts, later disclosed using a GLP-1 medication to shed 31 pounds, acknowledging her body’s changed response.

“Look back with regrets”: Serena Williams told by coach she could have won more if fitter after pregnancy (Image via Getty)

Serena Williams’ former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, has revealed that he and the tennis star had clashes about her body after she gave birth to her first daughter, Olympia, in September 2017.

Speaking to The Guardian on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Mouratoglou, 55, said weight was a serious issue for Serena Williams, then 36, as she tried to return to the court. He explained that tennis is a sport where “you can’t afford to be overweight,” and admitted Serena Williams did not like hearing those words.

Patrick Mouratoglou recalls clashes with Serena Williams after 2017 birth

Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached Serena Williams from 2012 to 2022, said their disputes arose as she was getting ready to return from giving birth in September 2017 found West Palm Beach, Florida. Mouratoglou said that Serena Williams was older at that time, her body was not able to rebound as rapidly as it had once done, and her risk of injury increased.

“I told her, this is not about how you look. It’s my job to care about your tennis. If you want to make history, we have to be efficient on every level,” Mouratoglou said in the interview. He admitted Serena Williams thought he was judging her, and that made their relationship tense.

He added that even one extra pound could hurt a tennis player’s speed on the court. “When you run full speed in one direction and then stop and come back, one pound can make a real difference,” he said. Serena Williams, during that period, was chasing more Grand Slam titles and went on to win 10 of her 23 major singles championships under Mouratoglou’s guidance.

Serena Williams opens up on weight struggle and latest update

Their second child, Adira, was welcomed in August 2023 by Serena Williams, her spouse Alexis Ohanian. She next recounted her decades-long struggle to lose weight after her first pregnancy. Though she worked hard, ate properly, and exercised daily, she could never reach the target she had established, she told People magazine.

Last month, Serena Williams shared that she lost 31 pounds by using a GLP-1 medication from Ro. “I had never been in a place like that before, where I worked so hard and still couldn’t get down to where I needed,” she said. “I never took shortcuts in my career, but my body had changed.”When asked if Serena Williams being in this shape earlier would have changed her career, Mouratoglou answered, “Yes, the results would have been better. But I don’t look back with regrets.” Serena Williams retired from professional tennis in 2022 after a 27-year career.