"This is the highest pressure possible" - Mouratoglou speaks on why Serena Williams is yet to win a 24th Major title

Serena Williams has been stuck at 23 Grand Slam singles titles for over four years now, and her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou believes the pressure of winning a record-tying 24th might be preventing her from accomplishing this feat.

Williams won her last Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open, after which she gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia. The American has since reached four Grand Slam finals, but came up short on each occasion.

Mouratoglou believes that Williams' failure to capture a title since might be due to the great pressure accompanying such a feat, something even accomplished champions cannot overcome.

“If I knew the secret, I would make it a lot easier for Serena. But playing for a 24th title like Serena has been is a new pressure altogether, it is one match for history,” said Mouratoglou. “Sometimes, it is one set for history. This is the highest pressure possible.

“Even though these guys are the best in the world to deal with pressure, sometimes it is too much, sometimes it catches you, sometimes you get too nervous or too angry because the emotion is too difficult to control."

Mouratoglou added that perhaps Williams' inability to express herself on the court has led to her lapses in the big moments, as the 39-year old plays best when she's being herself.

“When it comes to Serena, I think there have been some traumas in the last years – maybe she feels like she cannot express herself anymore and I don’t think it’s good for her," revealed Mouratoglou. "I think she is good when she is herself. I don’t feel like she is authorizing herself to be herself in several moments in big finals and I think this hurt her.”

Williams withdrew from the 2021 US Open, stating that she would like to give her body time to heal after suffering an injury at Wimbledon.