Patrick Mouratoglou may miss the US Open after ending his coaching relationship with a player.
Following less than a year of collaboration, Mouratoglou and Naomi Osaka have decided to part ways just before the 2025 Canadian Open.
The duo’s most notable achievement together was at the 2025 ASB Classic, where Osaka retired due to injury while leading Clara Tauson in the final.
However, Osaka faced difficulties in Grand Slams, getting eliminated before the fourth round in all three major tournaments of 2025.
The Japanese player aims to recover at the US Open next month while Mouratoglou shares his insights on the conditions at Flushing Meadows.
Mouratoglou’s Thoughts on US Open Court Conditions
As the North American hard-court season approaches, Mouratoglou responded to various statements on Instagram, declaring them as true or false. One claim suggested that courts in the U.S. are faster than others globally.
“False. All courts differ, and it’s not about being in the U.S.,” he stated. “I don’t find them particularly faster than Australian courts. Historically, the US Open was quicker than Australia, but recent politics have aimed for uniform speed, bringing them closer together.”
He later discussed the toll hard courts take on players’ bodies, affirming, “True, hard courts are much more demanding compared to clay or grass.” Regarding preventive measures, he added, “True. You should gradually acclimate your body to hard courts, as it can be tough at first.”
Despite the physical challenges, Mouratoglou believes most players prefer hard courts. “Most players are more at ease on hard surfaces since they practice on them most of the year,” he noted, emphasizing that exceptional players do exist for clay or grass, but they are in the minority.
On the fairness of surfaces, he disputed claims, stating, “Fair? No, that’s false. Each surface has its distinct characteristics, and players excel on different types. The fact that 80% of the season occurs on hard courts is what’s truly unfair. An equitable distribution of events across all surfaces would benefit everyone.”
Surface Distribution in Major ATP Tournaments
In ATP tournaments, ‘major’ events include four Grand Slams, nine Masters 1000, and the ATP Finals.
| Tournament | Tier | Surface | Recent Champion |
| Australian Open | Grand Slam | Hard | Jannik Sinner (2025) |
| Indian Wells | Masters 1000 | Hard | Jack Draper (2025) |
| Miami Open | Masters 1000 | Hard | Jakub Mensik (2025) |
| Monte-Carlo Masters | Masters 1000 | Clay | Carlos Alcaraz (2025) |
| Madrid Open | Masters 1000 | Clay | Casper Ruud (2025) |
| Italian Open | Masters 1000 | Clay | Carlos Alcaraz (2025) |
| French Open | Grand Slam | Clay | Carlos Alcaraz (2025) |
| Wimbledon | Grand Slam | Grass | Jannik Sinner (2025) |
| Canadian Open | Masters 1000 | Hard | Alexei Popyrin (2024) |
| Cincinnati Open | Masters 1000 | Hard | Jannik Sinner (2024) |
| US Open | Grand Slam | Hard | Jannik Sinner (2024) |
| Shanghai Masters | Masters 1000 | Hard | Jannik Sinner (2024) |
| Paris Masters | Masters 1000 | Hard (Indoor) | Alexander Zverev (2024) |
| ATP Finals | ATP Finals | Hard (Indoor) | Jannik Sinner (2024) |
Out of 14 major tournaments, nine are on hard courts (64%), four are on clay (29%), and one on grass (7%).
Although the hard-court events aren’t as overwhelmingly excessive as Mouratoglou suggested, the distribution certainly favors players who excel on this surface, leaving grass specialists at a disadvantage.
Whether there will be a more balanced distribution of events in the future remains to be seen, but it’s certainly an aspect worth monitoring.
