Coach backs Serena to be 'first woman since 1988' to win four Grand Slams in one year

The coach of world number one Serena Williams has backed her to become the first female player since 1988 to win all four Grand Slam titles in the same year, in 2014.

The American ace held all four Grand Slams simultaneously when she won the Australian Open of 2003, but Steffi Graf in 1988 was the last female player to lift all four titles in the same calendar year.

According to the BBC, ahead of the first Grand Slam of the Year, coach Patrick Mouratoglou said that although it would be an 'exceptional' achievement, but with Williams, everything is possible as she has beaten all the top players many times and is currently playing at a very high level.

Mouratoglou further said that Williams was feeling the effects of a 34-match winning run when she lost to Sabine Lisicki in the fourth round of Wimbledon last year, adding that there is room for improvement as 2013 was a 'transitional year' for Williams where she increased her schedule to develop greater consistency.

The American expects to play the same number of tournaments in 2014, and has already won a title in Brisbane without dropping a set after beating both Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka, the report added.