Controversial tennis rule change to come into force in weeks as world No6 rants ‘stop ruining our sport’
TENNIS is set to allow off-court coaching from the beginning of the 2025 season.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) confirmed the controversial rule change at their recent AGM in Hong Kong.
Previously, players were not allowed to receive coaching at all during matches.
During the 2023 and 2024 seasons, however, the ATP and WTA Tours have trialled allowing players to be coached from the stands.
Following the trials, the ITF have confirmed that the change will come into effect on a full-time basis, after consultation with players, coaches and umpires.
The ITF’s senior executive director Stuart Miller said: “Players felt it was a positive development and makes tournaments more interesting for them.
“Coaches have said it helps player development and helps to improve the standing of their profession.
“Chair umpires have said it improves their ability to focus on monitoring the game and making the right decisions, rather than whether or not a coach is coaching against the rules.”
The decision was confirmed after receiving a majority vote from delegates at the ITF’s annual AGM in Hong Kong.
Previously, umpires were tasked with monitoring whether coaches were giving advice to their players.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
During the 2018 US Open final, Serena Williams infamously received a code violation for coaching during the second set, subsequently clashing with umpire Carlos Ramos and calling him a “thief” as she lost 6-2 6-4 to Naomi Osaka.
While the ITF insist that they have consulted players regarding the rule change, they have received a backlash on social media.
World No6 Taylor Fritz wrote on X: “Can we stop ruining the 1v1 mental/strategic aspect of the sport PLEASE.”
While former top 10 star Denis Shapovalov posted: “Tennis is special because you are out there alone. Why are you trying to change the beauty of this game.”
The ITF feel that the rule change will “support the development of players”.
And they add that it could make tennis “fairer, and potentially more entertaining”.
‘IT’S A DUMB RULE’
Fritz, 26, has long been a critic of players receiving coaching during matches.
When the possible rule change was discussed during the 2022 US Open, the American men’s No1 said: “I haven’t talked to Mike [Russell, my coach] and he hasn’t talked to me one time since the coaching has become a thing.
“It’s a dumb rule. Tennis is an individual sport.
“Why are we making it not an individual sport? A huge part of tennis is, in my mind, like as tennis is as much mental as it is physical, and a big part of it is you need to be figuring it out on the court for yourself.
“You need to be the one figuring it out.
“I think it’s ridiculous that you can be mentally not there, not good analytically, not good at kind of working through things and coming up with strategies, and you can have someone tell you what to do. I hate it.”