Sports
Patrick Mouratoglou’s tennis partnership with Naomi Osaka and coaching superstars
The way phenomenal and accomplished athletes’ minds work can often catch regular folks off-guard. How is it that a tennis player like Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1, would ever get to a place where she might question her ability?
It happens all the time, even with the all-time greats — a subset of the tennis species that Patrick Mouratoglou, the longtime coach and tennis media impresario, has spent most of his career studying. He coached the best of the best, Serena Williams, at the scene of so many of her greatest triumphs.
In September 2024, three-quarters of the way through her comeback season after giving birth to her daughter, Shai, Osaka hired Mouratogou to replace Wim Fissette. Osaka had reunited with Fissette (who coached her between 2019 and 2022) the previous summer, to prepare for her return to competitive tennis last January. At first, she was magnanimous about the relationship between improvement and outcome. When she came within a point of beating Iga Swiatek at last year’s French Open, Osaka wasn’t down: “Obviously the results aren’t resulting right now, but I think I’m growing every tournament,” she said in her news conference.
When the results still didn’t result, Osaka found herself again struggling with her confidence and decided to move away from the coach with whom she won two of those four Grand Slam titles.
Osaka, 27, hasn’t won a title of any kind with Mouratoglou yet, but she has come awfully close. She had to retire with an abdominal injury when she was up a set against Clara Tauson in the final of the Auckland Classic in New Zealand in January and she has played her best tennis since becoming a mother in the past five months, when her body has allowed her to do so.
“I just had to believe in myself a lot more,” Osaka said at the Australian Open after her second-round win over Karolina Muchova, one of the world’s most gifted players, who had eased past Osaka at the same stage of the U.S. Open four months prior. There in Melbourne, Osaka was talking about coming back to win the last two sets after losing the first 6-1, but she could have been talking about how, when healthy, she has rediscovered her swagger and her ability to take the racket out of her opponents’ hands.
That is not an accident.
In an interview in February from Los Angeles, where he and Osaka prepared for her comeback from that abdominal injury, Mouratoglou said they have been working on confronting those moments when she feels her belief slipping and on figuring out ways to overcome them.
Patrick Mouratoglou with Naomi Osaka at January’s Australian Open. (David Gray / AFP via Getty Images)
“You earn confidence with what you do every day in practice,” Mouratoglou said.
After two weeks of hard training, Osaka will try to bring that swagger to the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Calif., this week.
In the interview, Mouratoglou, 54, said he expects nothing less from Osaka, a player he says comes to the court every day with an open mind and a hunger to try anything to get better.
All the great ones do.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
GO DEEPER
Naomi Osaka and the gravity of a superstar at the U.S. Open
How is her injury feeling?
She has no pain anymore. We have been serving, but slowly and progressively. She’s done the work to try to make sure she does not get hurt again.
What is it like to work with players at her level? How does she compare with Serena Williams?
I don’t compare anyone to Serena. It is very exciting, because of her potential. She has the potential to win very many more Slams. Her motivation is very high. Tennis is a big priority and she is prepared to come back all the way.
How do you know if you are a good fit with her?
I don’t know if it’s a good fit — all the players are different, and as a coach you need to adapt.
Is it any different when you are coaching a superstar rather than some of the players you have worked with who are not at that level?
It’s very important when you work with a superstar that you do the same as if the player is not a superstar. You need to talk to a person in a normal way, like she is a normal player. When they achieve so much they have certainties about what they do, but they have to be open enough to learn and continue to grow. That’s where Naomi is. She really wants to improve. She’s really taking the advice, and giving 100 percent. She is not scared. That’s the champion’s mindset.
It’s interesting you say that. I would have thought people who have won so much in the past think they know how to do it again.
They are champions because they are doing what it takes to improve; their ability to trust the person working with them to tell them what to do and what it takes. That makes them champions.
Rafa (Nadal) and Novak (Djokovic), they went through so many technical changes. They see the sport as a race. Everybody is improving. That is how Serena was seeing the world. If you’re happy with what you have and don’t try new things, you will be overtaken by others. The progress comes from seeing which areas you can get better with.
Why is Osaka better now than she was last year?
Her confidence is much higher. This comes from what she has done at practice. She’s practising extremely well. She pushes herself. Her game has gained in consistency. A player has to be aware of how she is feeling, even if she feels she is losing confidence. Before, she didn’t express it to herself. Most of the matches, she lost because she stopped believing and this is not allowed.
We do practice matches. She is aware of what she is feeling. We talk about it. We work on it in the moment. It’s fine to have that feeling, it’s natural — there is no shame in being nervous. We just have to be aware of it. It can affect you but it can’t affect you too much — Novak gets super-nervous or angry, but the most important thing is the ability to come back very fast. Otherwise, you are losing points and points and points. You have the right to become nervous and lose confidence, but not too much and not for too long.
You don’t talk much during matches other than small messages of encouragement. Why?
There is not so much to say, unless I see she is not following the plan one way or another. The match, we prepare it before. The only thing I can do is to support her.
In the Muchova match in Melbourne, Muchova was playing great and Naomi was struggling to get to her level. I’ve seen that in the past year. I found out that when she was in trouble, her confidence level would drop a lot and the game was affected.
Her first tournament in China, she had lost 20 matches in a row when she had lost the first set. This time, she didn’t let what was happening on the court play with her mind. It’s impossible not to be affected by the score. They need to be affected by the score. How much it affects you and does it affect you in a way that can harm you is the question. You want to be affected but stay under control. Keep believing in what you are doing.
Is that what she did against Muchova?
She stayed mentally there. You don’t go away. Nobody plays perfectly from the first point to the last.
When you coached Serena, you went up against Osaka. Did you share your old game plans with her?
No. You don’t want to reinforce the spots that are weaker. I also don’t think you win by improving your mistakes so much. You prepare solutions, and you make your strong points better. If someone has a good game plan to beat Jannik Sinner, I would like to see it. Players at that level, you have to catch them on a certain day when there are weak spots.
I want my players to know how to turn their strengths into weapons: ‘What is my player’s game style and how do they win points?’.
So what are Osaka’s strengths at this point that should be her weapons?
When she is at the top of the game, she plays faster than anyone. She makes it very difficult to organize a point against her. She comes back to you with the ball in such a short time. When the ball touches the racket, it goes so fast to the other side of the net, and she can be very accurate with hitting her spots.
She also has big room for improvement. She can return better, be more aggressive on the second serve, take time away from the opponent better. The good thing is that she is extremely open to new ideas. I told her what I thought when I arrived and she told me she was very excited to get to work because she believed she was going to learn new things.
Naomi Osaka holds the Australian Open trophy after the 2019 final. (Getty Images)
Is that what the best ones tell you?
Absolutely. They forget what they have achieved one minute after they achieve it. Serena finishes 2012 winning Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and the Olympics and the WTA Tour Finals. She’s walking off the court and tells me to come up with a plan for her to win the French Open. She says, “I’ve been chasing it for 10 years. I want to win Roland Garros, make a plan for me to win it.” (Williams won the 2013 French Open.)
The past is the past. It’s important not to look at the past. ‘Let’s move on. Always focus on the journey, where we want to go’. That’s Naomi right now. She’s very ambitious. She believes her story is still to be written. That’s important, because when you hold a trophy it only lasts a few minutes. You have to be excited about what’s next.
What has changed about tennis in recent years?
In general, the fitness level has improved a lot. It’s easy to explain. All of the top players travel with a fitness coach and physiotherapist. It was not true before. The movement of the players is so much better. On the women’s side, (Aryna) Sabalenka, for her height, is moving so well. And then Iga (Swiatek) and Coco (Gauff).
(Carlos) Alcaraz, Sinner, it’s crazy how they move on the court. Even someone like Tomas Machac. So it’s harder to hit winners, to get the ball through the court. If Naomi keeps evolving as she is, she will be able to hit as many winners again.
Naomi said she didn’t know if you would actually be a good coach, because you had coached Serena and she wondered whether Serena even needed coaching. Others sometimes question how much impact you have when you are coaching these all-time greats? How does that affect you?
People who say that don’t know what they are talking about. If I coach Naomi and she doesn’t do something well, I’m going to hear about it. I take no special pride in coaching champions. For me, if I don’t bring her to her top level, I didn’t do a good job.
(Top photo: David Gray / AFP via Getty Images)
Sports
Bryce Harper hits for cycle, Kyle Schwarber blasts three homers in Phillies blowout win over Mets
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The Phillies’ turnaround following the dismissal of manager Rob Thomson reached a new milestone when two of the franchise’s biggest stars delivered a historic performance.
Kyle Schwarber launched three home runs, including two in the third inning, while Bryce Harper completed the cycle to add yet another achievement to his accomplished career.
The offensive explosion powered Philadelphia to a 15-3 rout of the New York Mets on Saturday, as the Phillies continued their surge and received a signature performance from two of the game’s most recognizable stars.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber celebrates his home run with Bryce Harper during the third inning against the New York Mets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 20, 2026. (Chris Szagola/AP)
Schwarber’s first home run traveled 456 feet, while his second blast of the third inning measured 457 feet off Mets reliever Cionel Pérez.
He capped his night with a two-run homer in the seventh inning. Schwarber’s major league-leading home run total climbed to 28, and the performance marked the fifth three-homer game of his career.
Cristopher Sanchez allowed one earned run in six innings to lower his ERA to 1.80.
It’s his 23rd straight start at Citizens Bank Park in which he allowed two earned runs or fewer, the second-most such starts by a pitcher at the same ballpark in MLB history since 1913, trailing only Jacob deGrom’s 24 at Citi Field for the Mets from Sept. 9, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2022.
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Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies leave the field after defeating the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 2026. (Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Schwarber is the 67th player in major league history and second this season with multiple home runs in an inning, joining Houston’s Yordan Alvarez on June 12.
Schwarber is the fourth Phillies player to hit two home runs in an inning, along with Trea Turner (Aug. 19, 2023), Von Hayes (June 11, 1985) and Andy Seminick (June 2, 1949).
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber hits a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 20, 2026. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Harper hit a solo home run in the first inning, his 16th of the year. He doubled and singled in the third, then hit a two-run triple to the gap in left-center field in the fifth for his first career cycle and the 11th in Phillies history.
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The Phillies and Mets will wrap up their three-game series Sunday night, with first pitch set for 7:20 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is well into the second run of group play, with every team still eager to post wins and most looking to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Here’s everything you need to know about matches being played Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in the 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific). Tuesday’s matches will conclude the first two games of group play for every team at the World Cup.
Sunday’s Group G matchups:
Belgium vs. Iran
Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, right, is challenged by Egypt’s Ramy Rabia during a World Cup Group G match on June 15.
(Alex Grimm / Getty Images)
Where: SoFi Stadium
Time: noon
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Iran twice rallied from deficits to draw with New Zealand in its first game, while Belgium, outplayed by Egypt in its opener, was lucky to escape with a point on an own goal early in the second half. Belgium’s aging golden generation of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier and Axel Witsel is going to need to do much better if they hope to avoid another early World Cup exit.
New Zealand vs. Egypt
New Zealand’s Callan Elliot, left, and Iran’s Mehdi Ghayedi battle for the ball during a World Cup Group G match on June 15.
(Andre Penner / Associated Press)
Where: BC Place, Vancouver
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: One of these teams could make history since neither has ever won a World Cup game. New Zealand earned its first point in the World Cup since 2010 with a draw against Iran. The winner likely advances to the next round.
Sunday’s Group H matchups:
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia
Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal, top, challenges for the ball during a draw with Cape Verde on June 15.
(Mattia Ozbot / Getty Images)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Time: 9 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Both teams opened the World Cup with surprising results. Second-ranked Spain was unable to score in a draw with No. 67 Cape Verde. Saudi Arabia was 10 minutes away from upsetting Uruguay, only to settle for a tie. Spain desperately needs a win to get its World Cup back on track, while another good performance from Saudi Arabia — unbeaten in its last three games — would have the Arabian Falcons in position to reach the knockout stage.
Uruguay vs. Cape Verde
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha holds the nation’s flag after a draw with Spain on June 15.
(Buda Mendes / Getty Images)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: With all four teams playing to draws in their openers, the group is wide open. That creates a rare opportunity for tournament debutant Cape Verde, the second-smallest country to qualify for a World Cup. Vozinha, Cape Verde’s goalkeeper, made seven saves to shut out Spain. If he can frustrate Uruguay the same way, Cape Verde could be through to the round of 32.
Monday’s Group J matchups:
Argentina vs. Austria
Argentina’s Lionel Messi reacts after scoring his third goal against Algeria at the World Cup on June 16.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Argentina opened its World Cup title defense with a 3-0 win over Algeria on a hat trick from Lionel Messi. The Argentina captain, playing in his record sixth World Cup, is tied with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the most career World Cup goals (16). Austria, meanwhile, would all but assure itself of a spot in the knockout round with a point.
Jordan vs. Algeria
Algeria’s Zineddine Belaïd kicks the ball during a World Cup loss to Argentina on June 16.
(Michael Steele / Getty Images)
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Little was expected of Jordan, making its first appearance in the World Cup. And it delivered little in a 3-1 loss to Austria. But Algeria, ranked 28th in the world, entered the tournament with high hopes and one of African soccer’s most potent attacks. However, it had only one shot on goal in its loss to Argentina and needs a big rebound to avoid an early trip home.
Monday’s Group I matches:
France vs. Iraq
France’s Kylian Mbappé celebrates after scoring against Senegal on June 16.
(Adam Hunger / Ap Photo/adam Hunger)
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: 2 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Kylian Mbappé proved his fitness with a brace in France’s opening win over Senegal, giving him 14 World Cup goals, tied for fourth on the all-time list. He has a great chance to pad that total against an Iraq team that gave up four goals to Norway. Iraq still is looking for its first-ever World Cup point.
Norway vs. Senegal
Norway’s Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring against Iraq on June 16.
(Justin Setterfield / Getty Images)
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: 5 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Norway, playing in its first World Cup this century, made up for lost time with a 4-1 win in its opener, getting two goals from Erling Haaland. Norway probably will move on to the next round no matter what happens, but a point would lock down a spot. Senegal and Sadio Mané, on the other hand, desperately need a win.
Tuesday’s Group K matchups:
Portugal vs. Uzbekistan
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo walks on the field during a match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on June 17.
(Molly Darlington / Getty Images)
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: Cristiano Ronaldo entered this World Cup with visions of winning his first title. But he’ll go home early and empty-handed unless fifth-ranked Portugal improves on the listless performance it had in a draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uzbekistan, playing in its first World Cup, was not intimidated by the big stage, weathering a withering Colombia attack in a 3-1 loss. Expect it to bunker in again against Portugal.
Colombia vs. DR Congo
Yoane Wissa, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring for the Democratic Republic of the Congo against Portugal on June 17.
(Karen Warren / Associated Press)
Where: Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s only other World Cup appearance came in 1974, when the country was known as Zaire; it lost all three games and didn’t score a goal. It’s already done better with Yoane Wissa’s score in first-half stoppage time giving the team a point against Portugal. A win here and it’s through to the knockout phase. The same is true of Colombia, which got a 65th-minute goal from Luis Díaz and another from substitute Jáminton Campaz deep in stoppage time to beat stubborn Uzbekistan.
Tuesday’s Group L matchups:
England vs. Ghana
England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring against Croatia on June 17.
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
Time: 1 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: England opened its World Cup with a surprisingly comfortable win over Croatia behind two goals from captain Harry Kane. But the Three Lions are only equal atop the table with Ghana, which got a goal deep in stoppage time from Caleb Yirenkyi to beat Panama. If there’s a winner here, it probably will decide the group. A point likely sends both teams through.
Panama vs. Croatia
Where: BMO Stadium, Toronto
Time: 4 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo
Panama’s Ismael Díaz attempts a shot against Ghana on June 17.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
The buzz: Croatia has played in two straight World Cup semifinals, but that streak is in jeopardy after a 4-2 loss to England. Panama outshot, outpassed and outpossessed Ghana in its first game but came away with nothing after conceding a goal in stoppage time, leaving the Central Americans still looking for their first World Cup win.
Sports
Jazz Chisholm explains why he still won’t wear a cup after fouling a pitch into his own groin
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Men around the country are still wincing from the sight of New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. fouling a pitch straight into his own groin.
It was bad enough that Chisholm had to leave the game, and it left many wondering why he wasn’t wearing a cup to protect himself.
Well, now we have an answer.
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New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. took a brutal shot to the groin on Thursday night. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)
Yankees beat writer Gary Philips shared some quotes from Chisholm explaining why he wasn’t a cup guy before taking a foul ball to the cojones, and why he isn’t going to be a cup guy moving forward.
WEEKS AFTER BULLFIGHTER SUFFERED PERFORATED RECTUM, ANOTHER WAS GORED IN GROIN AND REQUIRED EMERGENCY SURGERY
Chisholm said that the pain level was a “million,” and that, “If you ever got hit in the testicles, you would know.”
Most males reading this just nodded at that statement.
But Chisholm revealed that despite cups being mandatory in the minor leagues, he still skipped them and will continue to because he trusts his own defensive abilities.
“I’ve never worn a cup,” he said. “I’ve never been hit in the balls. That was just unlucky.”
Now, there are times when I wonder why men don’t wear cups all the time just for some peace of mind (I feel that way about helmets too). You wouldn’t regret not wearing a cup until the moment you’re at a cookout and a rogue volleyball puts you in shambles.
But I also like that Chisholm trusts himself to react and protect the boys. I’ve always said that a fairly significant part of a man’s life is devoted to protecting his lower anatomy.
You’re ever vigilant, trying to steer clear of anything that could leave you doubled over on the ground, and spouting off every expletive you know and several others you didn’t realize you knew.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. says he’ll rely on his defensive abilities instead of wearing a cup moving forward. (David Richard-Imagn Images)
Waist-high branches, table corners, projectiles, bicycle seats, even a pet jumping in your lap when you’re not ready.
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Chisholm is self-aware enough to know where his self-preservation reflexes stand, and I respect that.
But if he takes another foul ball to the lower area of his body, he might want to start rethinking that stance on cups.
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