Linda Fruhvirtova has the potential to become world No 1: Patrick Mouratoglou

Linda Fruhvirtova is only 16 but has been associated with Patrick Mouratoglou since she was 10 years old. The French coach says her mental qualities are her biggest asset

Linda Fruhvirtova at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Image Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

April 8, 2022

In her recent interviews, 16-year-old tennis phenom Linda Fruhvirtova has said she wants to become the world’s best player. Now, tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who has been closely associated with the Fruhvirtova sisters for many years says he thinks that Linda has the potential to become world No 1.

Fruhvirtova has been on the rise this year, reaching the fourth round in Miami last month, where she scored her first win over a top 25 player – Elise Mertens – and has improved her ranking from No 279 to No 188. She will rise further next week after reaching the second round of this week’s WTA Charleston Open, where she upset world No 61 Ana Konjuh in the first round before going down to Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic 6-1, 7-6 in the second.

Mouratoglou, who was named as the new full-time coach of Simona Halep on Wednesday, highlighted the teenager’s mental qualities as her strongest asset in the latest episode of ‘The Eye of the Coach’ series.

“A lot of players say they want to become world No 1 but only some players believe it deep inside and Linda is one of them. She wins because she’s just stepping in,, stepping in, hitting, hitting, hitting until you crack. She has one main quality, which is the mental side. She’s an incredible competitor. She’s an incredible fighter.”

“She’s feisty. She wants it so bad. She’s giving 100 percent every time she’s stepping on the tennis court. This is all mental assets. I think mentally she has the full package.”

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Mouratoglou went on to add that the Czech teen did not have a power-based game when she first came to his Academy at the age of 10 but has improved on that aspect considerably over the years.

“She has really really improved her game by moving closer and closer to the baseline and she’s able to move forward on every ball and give 100% power on every ball. If you look at her matches, she makes a very limited number of unforced errors which shows she has a lot of control. She is always reaching that limit, hitting the best shot she can hit but not making any errors.”

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