In a new interview, Patrick Mouratoglou says World No. 1 Serena Williams needs "total rest" to recover and prepare for next season.

WTA: Top Seeds Exit China Open Early

Speaking to French newspaper L'Equipe in an interview with Vincent Cognet, the French coach says Williams's decision to end her 2015 season early is due to a multitude of ongoing health issues and injuries.

"The moment needed to be found to take care of her recurring physical problems, namely her knees and her elbow, problems which only can be solved by rest," Mouratoglou said. "And because there was no major challenge, and her number one ranking wasn't in danger, we opted for this solution. If she'd played the WTF (WTA Finals), she'd only have had 15 days off. Insufficient. Now she'll have almost two months to heal."

Mouratoglou added that Williams suffers from bone edema in her knees and that the only real treatment is total rest.

"The best cure is total rest. We won't start up working again until the middle of November. That should allow her to do real work up to the Australian Open."

Williams herself, in a written statement where she announced she would not compete in Asia, cited her ongoing injuries and the disappointment of losing in the US Open semifinals which ended her hopes of a calendar Grand Slam.

“It’s no secret I’ve played injured most of the year — whether it was my elbow, my knee or, in the final moments after a certain match in Flushing, my heart."

While Mouratoglou said that he and Williams have not finalized her 2016 schedule, they will take into account the Rio Olympics.

"Yes. Next year, with the Games (Rio August 6-14) there won't be four but five majors. We haven't settled on a specific number, but a total of 15 tournaments would be ideal."

When asked what are the goals for the World No.1 next year, the opportunity to tie or pass Steffi Graf's 22 major singles titles is still a top priority.

"First of all, beating Graf's twenty-two Slam titles. Then winning all four Slams. Given her standards of the last three years, we can't aim for anything less. We didn't succeed in 2015. So, we start again."

A complete translation of the L'Equipe article can found be via Mark Nixon at his Twitter account here.

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