Serena's coach expects her to play, contend at French Open

After a bumpy start to her 2018 season following a year-long maternity leave, Serena Williams has skipped the clay season to date. But the 23-time Grand Slam champion will be ready for the French Open, her coach Patrick Mouratoglou told Mark Hodgkinson of wtatennis.com.

It will be her first tournament since the Miami Open in March and first Slam since winning the Australian Open over sister Venus in February 2017. Serena pulled out of this year's Aussie Open because she didn't feel like she could win it, but after spending the clay season getting her game and conditioning back up to snuff at Mouratoglou's academy in Nice, her coach believes she can contend at Roland Garros.

"Serena will play the French Open to win it," Mouratoglou said. "Can she do it? Serena can achieve anything - after being her coach for six years, I'm even more sure of that statement."

Serena, who gave birth in September amidst life-threatening complications, has played just four matches since rejoining the tour.

"After her pregnancy, Serena had to rebuild her body," Mouratglou said. "When she arrived at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, around April 30, we realized that she was not ready yet. The time she lost after the delivery with all the medical issues she had to go through, was missing.

"That is the reason why we decided to skip Madrid and Rome as she needed five weeks to be perfectly ready. Then we worked with my team in order to prepare a program for her to get back in her best shape, including nutrition, fitness, and, of course, tennis. So far, things are going very well. She is working extremely hard, she is improving in all the areas fast. I am very satisfied and confident that she will be ready for Roland Garros."

Serena returned to action as part of the U.S. Fed Cup team for its tie against the Netherlands in early February, when she and Venus lost their doubles match in straight sets. She then played Indian Wells, where she lost to Venus in the third round, and followed it up with a first-round drubbing at the hands of Naomi Osaka in Miami.

"Serena clearly came back too early," Mouratoglou said. "She was not ready yet but needed to feel the competition, so she decided to play even though she was far from being at 100 percent. It was a good experience as she realized all the work that needed to be done in order for her to be really ready."

Serena won the French Open for the third time in 2015 and lost in the final in 2016, the last time she played in the tournament. This year's edition kicks off on May 27.