Women’s tennis needs this new rivalry.
No. 1 seed Serena Williams and No. 2 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus battle for the U.S. Open championship on Sunday in a rematch of last year’s final, won by the American icon.
But for all of Williams’ exploits, including her 16 Grand slam titles and four Open championships, she never has had a true rival along the way other than her sister Venus. Now she has one in a fellow baseline basher who can move around with aplomb.
“It’s important to have this kind of rivalry,’’ Williams’ new French coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, told The Post. “The men had Rafa [Rafael Nadal]-[Roger] Federer. The women’s game has had great ones. I think it’s very important.
“It’s great for both of them. They challenge the other one. It lets them keep on progressing. ’’
The women have split the last four meetings, with Azarenka winning their previous battle in Cincinnati last month in a third-set tiebreaker. Williams beat Azarenka in last year’s Open finals, winning the third set 7-5.
“Every time you play, you learn for the next time,’’ Mouratoglou said. “She won’t play exactly the same but she won’t forget her game. Of course there will be some adjustments. The mental game is the key. They’re two players who are aggressive and try to dictate. The one who will dictate more will win. Victoria is a courageous player.’’
Mouratoglu cuts a dashing figure. He nervously tousles his hair while watching from Williams’ player’s box on almost every point during her matches. He has been given major credit for Serena’s latest renaissance — her incredible rebound from a pulmonary embolism that nearly killed her in March 2011.
Perhaps father/coach Richard Williams, who groomed the Williams sisters in his unorthodox way, had done all he could.
“Maybe I was there at the right time, who knows,’’ said Mouratoglu, who also has been linked to Serena romantically. “We have the same kind of view on things.’’
Mouratoglu also calls Richard Williams “the greatest of all time, because what he did, no one did in the history of sports.’’
Mouratoglu loves to talk. He was surrounded by a half-dozen French writers after Williams’ semifinal drubbing of Li Na Friday night outside the player’s lounge for nearly 15 minutes. Then he transferred to his French-accented English to court a handful of American writers for nearly that long.
He is an eloquent on the topic of what makes Serena tick, without the boasts and bravado attached to her father.
When talking about her temperament on the court that has led her to trouble at Flushing Meadows with umpires, the French coach said, “What she shows on the tennis court, you see on the court how much she wants it, how much she fights and [how much she] is dedicated. She practices exactly the same. That’s how Serena shows everything on the court.
“She has two different personalities. The professional personality and when it’s not professional, she’s funny and easygoing. You don’t see that when she plays tennis.’’
Williams can tie Roger Federer today with her 17th Slam title and leave her one shy of the 18 copped by Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. A victory would also give her an extra $1 million bonus for winning the Open’s hardcourt series.
“Money has never been my motivation with tennis,’’ said Williams, who hasn’t lost more than four games during the fortnight. ”I have always just played to win Grand Slams.’’
Mouratoglu can vouch for that. Even if Williams wins her second Slam of 2013, she is a perfectionist and won’ t be completely happy, especially with her disappointing Wimbledon fourth-round knockout.
“Even if she wins, she’ll tell me she’s so upset she lost so early in Wimbledon,’’ Mouratoglu said.
Azarenka, who has won two straight Australian Open titles, knows she has to be perfect today.
“We know each other pretty well,’’ Azarenka said. “I know her strengths. She knows my strengths and that’s what it’s all about.”
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