Defence of Serena Williams amid Wimbledon criticism
Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou has launched a passionate defence of the American icon after criticism surrounding her Wimbledon return and post-match handshake, reports BritPanorama.
Williams made her long-awaited return to Grand Slam singles competition at Wimbledon after almost four years away from the professional tour.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion showed flashes of the power that made her one of the greatest players in tennis history before eventually losing 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 to Australia’s Maya Joint.
Following the defeat, some viewers criticised the brief handshake Williams shared with her opponent at the net, while others questioned whether the American deserved the wildcard that secured her place in the singles draw. Mouratoglou rejected both lines of criticism.
“Serena is polarising, people love her, or people are against her,” he said on Instagram. “So, for sure, when she got the wildcard at Wimbledon, all the people who are against her are saying she’s taking away a wildcard from a young player. But haters are haters. They will complain about that.”
The veteran coach argued Williams’ return had been a huge positive for tennis and should have been celebrated rather than scrutinised. “Her wanting to give it a try and just come back is an incredible gift for our sport. I think people sometimes, I don’t know why they don’t appreciate that enough. They just start to speculate, judge or whatever. It’s like, ‘Hey, guys, enjoy. You have the greatest ever to come play for you, to bring more attention to your sport.’
Mouratoglou also dismissed claims that Williams had shown a lack of respect to Joint after the match, insisting expectations around post-match etiquette have changed dramatically over the years. “I agree with Novak [Djokovic] 100%,” he continued. “Who doesn’t want to see the greatest of all time come back at 44 and perform on Centre Court of Wimbledon? Everybody except the haters. And also the haters said, oh, she was rude. She was rude? Because she shook the hand of the opponent? This is rude? 40 years ago, everybody was shaking the hand. Now, we’re holding the [other] person.”
“Serena didn’t come to the Centre Court of Wimbledon for a date. She came to beat an opponent in a tennis match. She played a very good match,” he added. “Even though she was injured. And she proved that she has the level to play.”
Before arriving at Wimbledon, Williams had also returned to doubles competition. She partnered Victoria Mboko at Queen’s Club, where they defeated third seeds Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe before withdrawing ahead of their next match after Mboko sustained an injury. Williams later teamed up with Karolina Muchova at the Berlin Open, but the pair were beaten in straight sets by Erin Routliffe and Giuliana Olmos in the opening round.
Despite her early Wimbledon exit, Mouratoglou believes Williams’ comeback has already given the sport a major lift and insists her presence remains a huge attraction for tennis fans around the world. The ongoing conversation about her role in the sport illustrates the complexity of public opinion, highlighting both admiration and criticism — a reflection of how the greatest athletes often stand apart, both revered and scrutinised in equal measure.
