Taylor Fritz believes the tennis authorities should have clamped down hard on off-court coaching rather than change the rules to allow it, and Sky Sports’ Laura Robson agrees with the American.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) will allow off-court coaching from 2025 following trials at the four Grand Slams and ATP and WTA Tour events since 2023.
But the US Open finalist Fritz thinks organisers have been bullied into the change.
“I think as far as it should go with the coach talking to you is giving you encouragement, saying, ‘great shot, good job, keep going, keep fighting’ stuff like that,” he told reporters in Turin at the ATP Finals.
“I think when it gets into strategic, like ‘back up, hit it this way more, cover this’, I don’t think that’s (right).
“I think a lot of the reason they made this rule in the first place is they were almost in a way bullied into it because people would just break the rules anyway and coach anyway.”
Fritz, who is at a career-high world No 5, said the simple fix would have been to use microphones in coaching boxes.
“I think there should be mics in the boxes. I think there should be someone monitoring the mics. It should be very, very strict to where if anything goes past just encouragement, immediately you’re penalised,” he said.
“That’s how you fix it. That’s how you have no coaching. Players have to figure things out on their own. That’s, like I said, one of the great things about tennis.
“I think not a lot of people realise how much strategy is going on. That’s something that should be between the two players.
“I think being able to make strategies and how you handle decision-making. I think it’s just as important as hitting a serve or hitting a forehand, but it would be insane if someone could come on the court and serve for you, right? Why can someone tell you what to do? That’s just how I feel.”
Denis Shapovalov has also criticised the change, writing on X: “Not just as a tennis player but as a fan of this sport it’s sad to see this new off-court coaching rule.
“Tennis is special because you are out there alone. Why are you trying to change the beauty of this game?
Rule changes losing part of the game
Robson agrees with Fritz, admitting tennis will be losing a lot of elements, but it will also be “very hard to police”.
“I can see why they’ve done it, but it does feel like you’re losing part of what makes tennis so difficult,” said the former British No 1.
“There was a time when on-court coaching was being talked about. It did actually happen on the WTA tour where the coach was allowed to walk onto the court. I don’t think anyone was a fan of that. That was awful.
“They put microphones on them as well. It was terrible. Likewise, coaching has always kind of gone on.
“If you’re the coach on the side of the court and you shall move your feet, is that coaching? I guess it is, and that type of thing used to go on, and now they’ve really just allowed that.
“I don’t think it has a significant impact really on the play itself. I think it’s something that I’ve grown to understand and accept really, and now it’s consistent.”
Sky Sports+ has officially launched and will be integrated into Sky TVstreaming service NOW and the Sky Sports appgiving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.
