Serena Williams' ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou declares American the GOAT, snubs Margaret Court

French tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou recently took Serena Williams' side in the GOAT debate between her and Australian tennis icon Margaret Court.

Williams and Court achieved remarkable feats in tennis during their active years, establishing themselves as legends of the sport. However, they played in different eras.

Court retired in 1977, four years before Williams was born. The fact that they played in different eras has often been a central point of debate among tennis fans.

On Friday, Mouratoglou, who coached Williams from 2012 to 2022, replied to a comment on X (formerly Twitter) where a user asked if Court was a bigger champion than his former protege. He answered the question in the negative, stating that the Australian's records were before the Open Era.

“No, because Margaret Court's record was established before the Open Era when tennis was not a professional sport. Cannot compare. Serena is the Goat of Women's tennis,” he said.

Margaret Court turned pro in 1960 and retired in 1977. About half of her career came in the pre-Open Era, when there was a strict separation between amateur and professional players. Certain tournaments, including the Grand Slams, were limited to amateurs only during that period.

The Open Era is the current dispensation of tennis, starting in 1968. The separation rules that existed were quashed, and Grand Slam tournaments allowed professional players to compete alongside amateurs thereafter.

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A sneak peek at Serena Williams and Margaret Court's Grand Slam singles records

Margaret Court and Serena Williams (R)

Margaret Court is one of the most decorated tennis players of all time. During her career, she won a total of 192 trophies (92 during the Open Era), including 24 Grand Slam singles titles. Court currently holds the joint record for the most Grand Slam singles titles, tied with Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic.

Court won 11 Australian Open titles, five French Open titles, five US Open titles, and three Wimbledon championships. However, 13 of her 24 Grand Slam titles came in the pre-Open era.

Williams, on the other hand, is also considered one of the greatest in the sport. She played her entire professional career during the Open Era, turning pro in 1995 and retiring in 2022.

In the singles category, the 42-year-old American won a total of 73 titles, including 23 Grand Slams. Her Majors tally includes seven Australian Open and US Open titles each, six Wimbledon Championships, and three French Open titles.