Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Serena Williams is so drained after missing out on her bid to become the first player to complete the Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988, could miss the remainder of the 2015 season.

Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou has never been a man inclined to holding back an opinion and he admitted to ESPN that his charge is in dire need of a concerted break so she can reassess and re-motivate herself for challenges ahead.

“She was two matches away from something really big, so it was very painful,” said the Frenchman who revitalized Serena’s game when he became her coach after the 2013 French Open. “Any loss is very painful for her, but this one even more than usual.

“So it just takes time to recover from it, and when the motivation comes back, which I don’t doubt it will, then it will be time to start tournaments again.

“After this year and the three grand slam events, the question is how high her motivation is to play those tournaments. I don’t think she should play if the motivation is not really high.

However, Mouratoglou remains insistent that retirement is not on Williams’ mind. She has already qualified for the year ending WTA Finals in Singapore and is guaranteed to be the year ending world no.1. “After this year and the three grand slams, the question is how high her motivation is to play those tournaments. I don’t think she should play if the motivation is not really high.”

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.