Serena Williams ready to win record-equalling Australian Open title after Simona Halep victory, says coach

The 23-time Grand Slam winner was made to fight for the victory as she remained on course to join Margaret Court’s all-time record

Patrick Mouratoglou, the coach of Serena Williams, believes the 37-year-old American will go on to win the Australian Open after her 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Simona Halep here on Monday took her into the quarter-finals.

Williams, who had dropped only nine games in her first three matches, was pushed hard by Halep but had too much power for the world No 1 as she stayed on course to win the Grand Slam title she needs to match Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24. In the last eight Williams will meet Karolina Pliskova, who beat Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-1.

Although Williams reached two Grand Slam finals last year – she lost to Angelique Kerber at Wimbledon and to Naomi Osaka at the US Open – Mouratoglou believes that she was not ready to reign again in 2018. She returned to competition last March, having taken a 14-month break in order to have a baby.

“I think she's fitter than she was last year, because even though she made a lot of efforts to come back in shape last year I don't think she had enough time,” Mouratoglou said. “Having a baby is a big thing, so for a top-level athlete to come back and be 100 per cent fit after having a baby, I think there was not enough time.

“Now I think she's ready physically. I think emotionally too because it's a big change in anyone's life to have a baby and you need to get used to a new life. It took a bit of time.

“But I feel now she's back to being Serena on both the physical and emotional side. I think her level is good. I think she needed a big fight, and it happened today and I think it's a great thing - especially when it ends like that.”

He added: “Of course I believe she will win the title. If I don't believe she will win I should coach somebody else.”

Halep, who was the first world No 1 Williams has faced since she started her comeback, had arrived here with low expectations after suffering a back injury at the end of last year and not winning a match since August. However, her form has picked up during this tournament and she made a real fight of this match in the second and third sets.

Williams dropped her serve to love on a double fault in the opening game, but then won six games in a row to take the first set as Halep struggled to cope with her power. In the second set, however, Halep started to move the American around the court and the decider turned into an intense battle, full of bold stroke-making by both players.

The match turned on two games in the middle of the third set. Serving at 2-3, Williams saved three break points in a high-intensity game and then broke serve to go 4-3 up, after which she served out for the match.

Serena Williams celebrates after defeating world No 1 Simona Halep to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals (AFP/Getty)

Mouratoglou said Williams was just “being herself” in those key games. He explained: “I think that's her trademark, to be able to play those moments better than the opponent.

“I think one of her main qualities is to be a top competitor. And being a top competitor means being able to turn the matches around to feel the big moments during a match, and on those moments, raise their level, either with quality of the shots or tactically to win those points and turn the match in their favour.”

Williams' victory sees her installed as favourite to win the Australian Open (EPA)

Williams said she felt she had been “hanging in there” but needed to raise her level to win the tournament. “I feel like each day, each match, and each tournament I'm learning something, and I think today I'm just learning that I have to fight for titles,” she said.

Halep felt like she had been “hit by a train” in the first set but added: “I didn't get scared about the first set, because I knew I had a better level, and I could play better if I stayed there and started moving better and hitting the ball stronger.

“So after the first set, I got fire inside myself, and I said that now I would start the match. So it was much better. Game by game, I felt that my level was growing.”

Simona Halep reacts to her fourth-round defeat (EPA)

The 27-year-old Romanian said she had been happy with her tournament. “I haven't been prepared for the highest level in tennis, but I did not play badly, so I'm happy about the way that it's been going this tournament,” she said. “I will take only the positives.”

Thierry Van Cleemput, who was David Goffin’s coach until they went their separate ways on Sunday, watched the match from the row behind Halep’s player box. Halep said afterwards that she was talking to Van Cleemput about the possibility of him becoming her coach in succession to Darren Cahill, who parted company with the world No 1 at the end of last year.

“We are talking,” Halep said, insisting that she had had nothing to do with Van Cleemput’s split from Goffin. “I like him as a coach. I like him as a person, but he is not my official coach. We haven’t decided anything yet. We just have to get to know each other better.”

Halep has been at the top of the world rankings for a total of 64 weeks, but by the end of this tournament Osaka, Petra Kvitova, Elina Svitolina and Pliskova could all replace her.