This is an article ‘What you should know about the new rule on off-court coaching’ by Marc Pulisci
Tennis started a new era this summer, but it happened so subtly that you might have missed the transition unless your television was on full blast while watching the matches. Off-court coaching became the new talk in tennis last summer, and while there are some costly adjustments to be made, the advantages can be favorable to many.
If your television was indeed set to maximum volume, you could have overheard Rafael Nadal, an 18-year veteran of the tour, ask the chair umpire if coaching was permitted when he sat down prior to his opening match in Cincinnati. Additionally, you may have overheard Apostolos Tsitsipas, later in the same tournament, give his son Stefanos straightforward advice during their matchup in the semifinals against Daniil Medvedev.
Many certainly remember when Tsitsipas and Medvedev faced off at the Australian Open ten months ago, and how Apostolos' hushed off-court tips had sent Medvedev into a rage-filled scream. However, in Cincinnati, he was powerless to influence the situation as the off-court coaching ruling had finally been permitted.
Hush-hush on the new rule
And so the age of off-court coaching in tennis began. A decade ago, the World Tennis Association (WTA) allowed coaches to visit players once a set during changeovers. However, the practice had long been prohibited in the usual one-on-one sport where players are expected to figure off-court tactics out for themselves. Then came this year's Wimbledon, when a unified set of guidelines were enforced, mainly allowing a player's coaching staff to utilize signals or give assistance in the least intrusive manner possible.
For many years, the restrictions varied depending on the tournament. As a standard rule, singles male players are not permitted to speak with any of their coaches under any circumstances. On the other hand, singles female players are usually allowed one off-court coaching session every set for non-Grand Slam competitions. However, no off-court coaching or interaction is permitted during any Grand Slam match.
The new rules were implemented for the first time at this year's US Open. While there was minimal hype with the change in guidelines, there was also zero opposition or debate. Many coaches were way ahead in encouraging their players with tips during matches anyway. However, the remarkable thing now is that fans can finally make out most of what they are saying– or at least most of it since some may come in hand signals. While the new rule might not play a significant factor in how players take on matches, there's an opportunity to deliver more precise instructions to struggling players during point-deciding rallies.
The fact that coaches are now permitted to interact with players during matches is more significant for a few than most of those competing. But fans no longer had to speculate or be concerned about whether a player was receiving improper coaching guidance or otherwise. The new rule makes it more exciting and liberating for live audiences who want to experience the action firsthand.
Before the new rule, most fans considered hushed coaching tips a diversion that wasn't to be appreciated. With the change, more are growing to like how easier it is to watch matches and anticipate which moves their favorite players or the opponent comes up next.
Breaking down the off-court coaching rule
Now that the original rule has been scrapped and players can rely on their coaches for assistance during matches, fans can expect more subtle changes that may become bigger as new strategies are played out.
As opposed to what new tennis fans may think, tennis coaching is a significant factor in every player's career. Case in point, coaches work with college players, high school players, recreational league players, and professional players for both the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. Hearing the athletes' coach one another in every Laver Cup had become a major draw for the charity tournament's fans. Those were the only instances in which off-court coaching was permitted, but they did make a difference.
In hindsight, tennis organizers and experts may have discovered the senselessness of not allowing coaches to participate during matchless. Though professional tennis players were not permitted to get coaching advice during the matches, they still had the rest of the 22 hours of the day to consult their coaches. Tennis players and coaches usually bond like glue, especially during the tournament season. They fly, eat, and watch television together, often. For 11 months out of the year, it may be a 24/7 experience for many.
Simply put, the new rule, effective in the second half of 2022, indicates the following provisions:
Coaches must occupy designated seats at a competition
Only verbal and non-verbal coaching that does not impede the opponent's ability to play or disrupt play is permitted
Only when the player is at the same end of the court is verbal coaching allowed
It's acceptable to use hand signals for nonverbal coaching at any moment
In verbal coaching, a few words or brief phrases may be used as long as no conversations take place
When a player departs the court, coaches are not permitted to speak to them
If any of the provisions mentioned are violated or misused, penalties and fines shall be imposed
Not at all intrusive
One good example of the new rule implementation is the recent US Open. Carlos Alcaraz and his full-time coach, former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, have been attached at the hip throughout his ascent to the top spot and his first Grand Slam title. The new rule risks players being illegally coached, or some of the credit might go to the coach rather than the player. But as many have witnessed at the US Open, Alcaraz impressed everyone despite receiving off-court coaching during his two weeks in the New York Grand Slam.
While many will still appreciate the old rule wherein players are left with their own judgment and instincts on the court, the new off-court rule promises higher competitiveness for upcoming matches. Of course, tennis players at their highest level who can come up with their own in-game adjustments deserve more rewarding support.
Most fans also prefer to keep tennis a quiet sport – the silence only broken by an exciting or match-setting point. Given that hand signals are less intrusive, fans may still enjoy that kind of vibe during matches, but it's not to say that hushed tips can't make their way in every serve and forehand a coach may chart. We'll have to wait and see what happens as the new rule evolves.
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