Making a Racquet in July 2025

Patrick Mouratogolou is a tennis personality that I have followed on social media for several years. I first became aware of him as a coach when he was working with Serena Williams but his story is much more involved than just that one season of life. Mouratoglou’s book is a blend of memoir and self-help while also telling his story of a shy, insecure child to a world‑class coach. The self description of a struggling young boy that would deal with incredible levels of self doubt and lack of confidence ending up in being sick every night before he went to bed was heartbreaking to read about. His love of tennis helped break some of those barriers but not in time to pursue a tennis career of his own. As the child of Greek immigrants living in France, Mouratogolou worked for his father’s successful business but always his love of tennis was in his mind. Mouratogolou teamed up with legendary Australian coach Bob Brett to launch his academy back in 1996 and that partnership lasted for six years. Mouratoglou then took full ownership and rebranded it as the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy.

Mouratogolou was able to draw on decades of experience guiding champions like Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and Holger Rune to victory. In his book Mouratoglou describes his philosophy into ten core principles—from building self‑esteem and embracing the “Progress Zone,” to mastering inner language and taking full responsibility for your results. The book is enjoyable because he uses each principle and  illustrates them with his personal stories. In the book, he relates how he can not be there to be your coach, but that as the reader we need to take these actionable exercises and shift our own mindset to unlock your potential. Developing the skills to practice these strategies will help cultivate a champion mindset that can be used in every area of life. You can move beyond your comfort level, harness your inner strength, and become a coach for yourself! 

This is a book that tells you to get out of your own way. If you are willing to learn and practice how to build real confidence, to take ownership of your choices, and push yourself just outside your comfort zone, you might be pleasantly surprised at the growth that can happen.  This book gave me some really great principles to explore and just like in the game of tennis, in personal development, there is always something to work on.