"He thinks he is Roger Federer?" - Tennis fans react to amount of money charged by Serena Williams' ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou for coaching

Several tennis fans are taken aback by the fees charged by Serena Williams' former coach Patrick Mouratoglou for private coaching sessions.

Mouratoglou is a renowned French tennis coach who has gained widespread recognition for his successful partnership with Williams. He served as the 23-time Grand Slam champion's coach for an entire decade - from 2012 until a few months prior to her retirement in 2022.

The 53-year-old has also coached several other notable players, including Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Grigor Dimitrov, Simona Halep, Holger Rune, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Fans recently discovered that Patrick Mouratoglou is charging $7,500 for a one-on-one session. They were surprised to witness the Frenchman charging such a hefty sum of money.

Fans took to social media platforms to express their astonishment. One fan asked if Mouratoglou thinks he is of Roger Federer's caliber and could justify such fees.

"He thinks he is Federer ?" a fan posted on X.

Another fan expressed disbelief and sarcastically stated that it is unreasonable for anyone to pay such fees to learn the art of "micro-dosing performance-enhancing drugs" and risk facing an ITIA suspension.

The fan's comment alludes to the incident involving Simona Halep, who was banned for using Roxadustat while under the guidance of Patrick Mouratoglou.

"Now what sane person spends 7,500 on a private session, all you get out of it is how to microdose performance enhancing drugs and an ITIA suspension," the fan posted.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

A Grand Slam is 100 times more important for a tennis player than Olympic Games: Patrick Mouratoglou

Patrick Mouratoglou at the 2023 Adelaide International

Patrick Mouratoglou recently spoke about the prevailing belief among tennis players that a Grand Slam carries more weight than an Olympic medal. He explained that this perspective arises from the comparatively limited historical association between tennis and the Olympics.

Mouratoglou took to social media to share his thoughts on the significance of the Olympics in the world of tennis. He highlighted the disconnect that exists between tennis and the Olympic Games, which he believes has resulted in a widespread undervaluing of its significance among players.

The Frenchman also claimed that the lack of a historical connection between tennis and the Olympics has led to the belief that winning a Grand Slam title is much more significant than achieving success at the Olympic Games.

"There is no real connection between tennis and the Olympic Games. A lot of tennis players don’t feel that it’s such an important event for tennis. Initially, tennis was at the Olympics, then it got out, and finally, tennis was reintroduced. As a consequence, there is no history between tennis and the Olympic Games. They feel that a Grand Slam is 100 times more important for a tennis player than the Olympic Games," he said.

Patrick Mouratoglou further said tennis players participate in the Masters 1000 tournament every year, which holds immense significance as their ranking is affected by it. Moreover, the Grand Slams stand as the ultimate symbol of accomplishment in the sport, according to the Frenchman.

The 53-year-old also conveyed his observation that the Olympics, which take place once every four years, lose significance for tennis players who prioritize winning a Grand Slam.

"Every year you have the Masters 1000, which are extremely important because your ranking depends on that, mostly for all the best players. You have the Grand Slams, who are incredible institutions," Patrick Mouratoglou said.

"For most of the players, to win one Grand Slam would be the highest achievement possible. And every four years, there are gonna be games that look small, not as an event but tennis—the Olympics compared to the Grand Slams. So again, we need time and history. When there is a long history between tennis and the Olympic games, I think players will consider it different," he added.