It is three years now since Serena Williams picked up the phone and called Patrick Mouratoglou, then a relatively little-known coach, to ask if she could use the facilities at his academy on the outskirts of Paris. A first-round defeat at Roland Garros had left the American shorn of confidence, without a grand slam victory in almost two years and wondering what she could do to get herself back on track.
It turned out to be a masterstroke. In Paris on Saturday, the American clinched her 20th grand slam title with a three-set win over Lucie Safarova to take her tally since teaming up with Mouratoglou to seven grand slams in 12.