Serena Williams' ex-coach concerned for Naomi Osaka as he spots troubling weaknesses in her mental game

Serena Williams' ex-coach recently discussed the troubling weaknesses he finds in Naomi Osaka's game. The Japanese has had an underwhelming start to her 2025 grass swing.

Osaka's 2025 season has gone from bad to worse. The Japanese kicked off her grass swing at the Berlin Open, and though she came out guns blazing, Liudmila Samsonova scored a resilient turnaround to oust her 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-4. She has engaged in a lot of tough three-set battles this year, which more often than not have gone against her.

Serena Williams' ex-coach, Rick Macci, also noticed this pattern and opined that the Japanese is stuck in a "negative mental loop." Osaka has lost three-set battles at the French Open, the Italian Open, the Madrid Open, and the Miami Open this year.

"Osaka has lost a lot of close matches. Mentally she needs a REFRAMING EXPERT to paint a different picture. She is a top ten talent but her mindset has doubt and then she hits out. She is in a negative mental Loop but with The Right Voice she 100% can Regroup."

He also touched upon how the former World No. 1 is not being mentally precise and needs to make some important changes in her tactics, which some of her old game-play tapes could help with.

"Osaka is strategically playing different than when she was number one. In her prime on the run she could fire on a dime. Now not aggressive going wide and does not cut the court and seems to have lost a stride. All she has to do is look at tape from the past and her movement again will be fast," he wrote.

"Naomi lost early at the French and had overtime to practice on grass. Her serve / groundstrokes are explosive/ proven. But mentally I see indecision not precision. Remember she was number one for 25 weeks and but right now tactic wise needs a few expert tweaks," Macci added.

Macci further continued his thoughts and explained she should not be having 'nail biters'.

"If Naomi Osaka is controlling the baseline, cutting the court she is a top 5 talent in the sport" - Serena Williams' ex-coach Rick Macci

Naomi Osaka - Source: Getty

Continuing his thoughts, Serena Williams' ex-coach, Rick Macci, stated that if she implements a certain strategy, Naomi Osaka is a Top 5 player in the world. He also said a few differences in her strategy will help her win matches comfortably, rather than fighting three-setters.

"Osaka has lost a lot of close matches. My take is very different. If she is controlling the baseline cutting the court she is a top 5 talent in the sport. The matches she loses that are close should not be close and a NAIL BITER if her strategy is different and we see Naomi the FIGHTER."

Interestingly, not just Rick Macci, but Andy Roddick also recently opined on Naomi Osaka's tennis struggles. He also mentioned the areas where the Japanese needs to improve to return to her best.