LONDON — Patrick Mouratoglou believes Serena Williams proved she can still compete at the highest level despite her first-round defeat at Wimbledon, describing the 44-year-old’s long-awaited return as “a very high-level match” after nearly four years away from professional singles competition.
Williams lost 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 to 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint in her first singles appearance since returning to the WTA Tour. The 23-time Grand Slam champion battled back from a set down, saving a match point in the second-set tiebreak before forcing a deciding set in front of an enthusiastic Centre Court crowd.
The American briefly seized control of the third set after breaking Joint’s serve to lead 2-1, but the younger Australian responded strongly as Williams began to show signs of fatigue during the two-hour, 22-minute contest.
Williams also sustained a minor injury to her right knee during the match, prompting her to withdraw from the doubles event with sister Venus Williams.
Mouratoglou, who coached Williams during one of the most successful periods of her career, said the quality of the match should not be underestimated.
“Don’t be mistaken, Serena’s match was a very high-level match,” Mouratoglou said in a post on Instagram.
“Her opponent might not be top 20, but she played top 20 in the world. First of all, I think Serena was impressive. She’s 44 years old.”
The French coach said Williams’ performance was remarkable considering her lengthy absence from competition and the demands of balancing professional tennis with family life.
“She hasn’t played a single match for four years. She has two kids and she plays that level from the first moment she plays. That’s unbelievable,” he said.
Mouratoglou also praised Joint, arguing the Australian delivered one of the strongest performances of her career despite not yet being established among the world’s elite players.
“The girl she played, it’s a bad year for her. But in that match, she was able to play at her best level,” he said.
According to Mouratoglou, Williams now needs additional competitive matches to rebuild rhythm after such a long absence, but he believes her comeback demonstrated that she still possesses the ability to compete against top-level opponents if she continues improving her physical condition and match sharpness.
Although Williams’ Wimbledon campaign ended earlier than hoped, many observers viewed the performance as an encouraging first step in her return to professional tennis.
Attention is now expected to shift toward the North American hard-court season, where Williams could seek wildcard entries into major warm-up events ahead of the U.S. Open. Tournaments such as the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open have been mentioned as possible opportunities to gain additional match practice before the final Grand Slam of the year.
Williams has previously said her decision to return was motivated largely by her two young children, who had never experienced watching their mother compete at the highest level.
While she has remained cautious about setting long-term expectations, Mouratoglou believes her Wimbledon performance offered encouraging evidence that the former world No. 1 remains capable of producing elite tennis as her comeback progresses.
