"Not Simona divorced twice in a month" - Tennis fans react to Patrick Mouratoglou coaching Holger Rune while Simona Halep recovers from injury

2022 US Open - Previews
Patrick Mouratoglou and Simona Halep

French tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou has joined Holger Rune's team on a rolling basis as his protege Simona Halep continues to recover from injury. Currently on the sidelines, Halep will return to action next season.

Mouratoglou announced his partnership with Rune on Instagram, stating that Halep had encouraged him to look for a new collaboration. The French coach will become a member of Rune's coaching team and travel with the teenager to events in Stockholm and Basel as well as the Rolex Paris Masters and the Next Gen Finals in Milan to finish the 2022 season.

"The day I met Holger at the @mouratoglou_tennis_academy he was only 13, and we quickly formed a special bond. While @simonahalep is taking time to recover and is away from the game, she encouraged me to seek a new collaboration. Today, I’m pleased to announce that I will officially be joining the Team of @holgerrune. Together, we’ll compete in 4 tournaments and prepare in the winter season for 2023," Patrick Mouratoglou wrote.
"I’m really excited to start working with Holger. He has a great team with his mother and Lars, who he has been with since he started playing. These kinds of relationships are rare and precious. I am honored to be apart of it and my goal is to assist them in order to help Holger reach his goals. Stockholm here we come," he added.

Tennis fans expressed their opinions on Twitter in response to the announcement, with the majority of them slamming Mouratoglou for teaming up with the young Dane. One user blatantly voiced their displeasure and wrote:

"Aw hell no not these two linking up."

Another user was of the opinion that Simona Halep might retire from competitive tennis soon, drawing parallels with Mouratoglou leaving Serena Williams a few months ago to coach the Romanian.

"Honestly, to me, it seems that Simona Halep is retiring. Don’t forget the same thing happened to Serena and while she did technically play two slams and two WTA tournaments, it was pretty much the end," the user wrote.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:


"I won’t be able to compete in any official tournament anymore, my 2022 season is over" - Simona Halep

2022 US Open - Day 1
2022 US Open - Day 1

After her US Open campaign came to a premature end, Simona Halep announced that she was ending her 2022 season and that she would not be taking part in any more tournaments this year.

"I won’t be able to compete in any official tournament anymore. My 2022 season is over. 2022, you have been an interesting year full of everything! See you on court, 2023! I feel I still have a lot to do on a tennis court and still have some goals," Halep said.

The Romanian underwent nose surgery after struggling with her breathing for several years, and will return to the tour in 2023.

Quick Links