How Patrick Mouratoglou's 'Lie' Helped Serena Williams Regain Confidence and Win Wimbledon
Patrick Mouratoglou shared an interesting anecdote from his time with Serena Williams as the French coach once deliberately lied to the American because he wanted to see if that could help the American mentally forget the issue she was dealing with.
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If you can recall, Williams hit a low spot in mid-2012 when she suffered a shock French Open first-round loss to Virginie Razzano. After the loss, the American gave a call to Mouratoglou and they started working during the grass season. Over the next decade, they won 10 Grand Slams as a player/coach duo.
In a video posted on his Instagram, Mouratoglou said that there was one Wimbledon year when Williams simply couldn't make a shot at the net. After analyzing it and realizing that the former world No. 1 stopped going to the net because she lost her confidence, the French coach made a bold move and knowingly praised the American's net game while it was bad at the time.
Mouratoglou: I told Williams you win 80 percent of points at the net, which was not true...
"Serena, I don't remember which year she played with Wimbledon and she was missing all the volleys at the start of the tournament and because she was missing at the net, she was scared to move inside the court and I mean, it's automatic when you miss at the net, you're not fast enough to go take it and hit a winner and I thought, 'Oh, if she continues to play like this, we're in trouble,'" Mouratoglou said.
"So after the match, I remember she was backing and we always talk after the match and I said to her, 'When I see a short ball, I'm so comfortable, I sleep on my two ears.' Why you say that? 'I said because you win 80% of the points at the net,' which was not true."
Williams was surprised by Mouratoglou's comment, but she accepted it. And that was the game-changer.
"'I thought I was terrible at the net,' that's what she told me. 'I thought I was terrible.' She started to play without any fear forward because she believed it, she started to be really efficient and she won 80% of the points at the net until the end of the tournament and she won Wimbledon. This thing that was not true, happened to be true. I believe a lot in that," Mouratoglou added.
Mouratoglou couldn't remember which year exactly it was, but it could have been one of those three - 2012, 2015 and 2016 - since those are the years when Williams won Wimbledon under the guidance of the French coach.
Commanders Make Final Decision On Starting Quarterback
The Washington Commanders won’t have superstar quarterback Jayden Daniels in Week 3 and will start veteran backup Marcus Mariota in his place against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3.
MRI tests revealed Daniels suffered a PCL sprain in a 27-18 Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Mariota is in his second season as Daniels’ backup and signed a 1-year, $8 million contract on March 12 after playing on a 1-year, $6 million contract in 2024.
“Now official: Commanders HC Dan Quinn said Marcus Mariota will start Sunday versus the Raiders,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on September 19.
Mariota filled in for Daniels in 2024 after he injured his ribs in the first quarter of a 40-7 Week 7 win over the Carolina Panthers. Mariota looked sharp that day, going 18-of-23 passing for 205 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions to go with 11 carries for 34 yards.
He also saw extended action in the regular season finale, going 15-of-19 passing for 161 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions to go with 5 carries for 56 yards and 1 touchdown in a 23-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
“Through the first two weeks of the season, he leads all quarterbacks in QB contact. … He led all quarterbacks in QB contact last year. … It’s just not sustainable,” ESPN’s Mina Kimes said on September 18.
Mariota, Daniels Have Plenty In Common
Mariota and Daniels have a lot in common aside from just how they play — starting with both being similar size. Mariota is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds while Daniels is 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds.
Both players were No. 2 overall picks in the NFL draft. Mariota was picked No. 2 by the Tennessee Titans in 2015 and Daniels was picked No. 2 in 2024.
Both were rookie starting quarterbacks. Mariota went 3-9 in 2015 and Daniels went 12-5 in 2024, leading his team to the NFC Championship Game.
Both played in the Pac-12 Conference. Mariota starred at the University of Oregon. Daaniels started his career at Arizona State before he transferred to LSU for his final 2 seasons.
Both Mariota and Daniels are also part of college football’s most exclusive club — Mariota became Oregon’s first Heisman Trophy winner in 2014 and Daniels won the Heisman Trophy at LSU in 2023.
Sunday will be Mariota’s first start since 2022, when he was playing with the Atlanta Falcons.
“Marcus is still in this league for a reason,” Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel said on September 17. “He’s been playing well whenever his name’s been called.”
Commanders Praised For Bringing Back Mariota
With Daniels getting hurt this early in the season, the Commanders look like geniuses for making a move to bring back Mariota as quickly as they did.
From ESPN in March: “Free agent quarterback Marcus Mariota is returning to the Washington Commanders on a one-year, $8 million deal, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday. Mariota served as rookie Jayden Daniels’ backup with the Commanders in 2024. Daniels and the coaches often praised Mariota for his mentorship of the rookie, but he also helped Washington win two games after the rookie starter was injured.”
Mariota will be facing a familiar foe when he takes the field against the Raiders. He played for Las Vegas in 2020 and 2021 as the backup to Derek Carr but didn’t start any games.
“I get that he isn’t JD5 but I don’t understand the gloom and doom some seem to have related to him playing,” Commanders fan Mark Phillips wrote on X.
