ITF Announces Off-Court Training Is Now Legal. Some Players, And Coaches, Hate It
Posted by Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday October 22, 2024
Do you remember in 2022 when the ATP Tour announced that off-court training would be allowed if there was a trial? Since then, coaching during games, from the players’ boxes, has become a regular feature of the tour.
On Monday the ITF announced that the changes had become official.
Here’s how Stuart Miller, ITF Chief Executive Officer, explained the decision.
“This has been going on as a trial since 2017. People who have been watching this game, especially in the last two years, will see the tests that are going on in every professional game including the ITF World Tennis Tour, ATP and WTA. Tour with all the Grand Slams.
“We have collected responses from all important bodies including players, coaches and Chair Umpires. The players saw it as a good development and it made the tournaments more attractive to them. The coaches said that it helps the development of the players and it helps to improve the quality of their work. Chair Umpires said that it improves their ability to focus on monitoring the game and making the right decisions, rather than whether or not the coach is coaching against the rules. So all the teams have embraced this and it’s good to see the AGM supporting what we think will be a positive change in the game of tennis.”
The decision was immediately met with some backlash from players on the ATP Tour.
“Coaching off the court sucks,” said Aussie John Millman, in impressive summation.
Coaching outside the court is bad.
– John Millman (@johnhmillman) October 21, 2024
Taylor Fritz he gave his opinion, asking that the power to stop destroying the mental and technical part of sports, while Denis Shapovalov he took a step back, saying “Tennis is special because you are alone there, why are you trying to change the beauty of the game?”
For the record, Magnus Normanin a rare case of opposing a coach, he agrees with Shapovalov.
Can we stop ruining the 1v1 mental/strategic part of the game PLEASE
-Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) October 21, 2024
I haven’t seen many coaches speak out against training on the field. Here is one. pic.twitter.com/TgbOKOeydx
– Gill Gross 🍏 (@Gill_Gross) October 21, 2024
That said, not much will change from what has already happened on tour over the past few seasons. The case is over. Coaches are allowed to coach, as long as they follow some basic rules:
Coaching is allowed between points and at end changes and scheduled breaks, and at any other time (except during point play) permitted by the governing body.
In off-court coaching and on-court coaching between points, communication may be verbal (when the coach(s) and player(s) are at the same end of the court) or by hand signals (at any time coaching is allowed. ) only.
Off-court training, and on-court training between points, should be short (except during breaks in play) and smart.
