Courtside coaching

Sheddie · administrator

Courtside coaching

Count Zero · Tennis legend

UltimateFlemingFan wrote:

: Nadal: "What kind of rule is this that coaches can't say anything during a match ? In what other sport does this happen ?"

not suprising from nadal considering that he is probably the wost abuser on the atp at moment.

but how far can this go? will challengers be allowed coaches on court? futures and satelietes? schoolboy lvl? parents going mad and poisioning the kids? oh wait that already happens.

tennis is an indivudal sport, well apart from doubles, its been like that for ages, the only reason they are suggestign this is beacse the sports governing body doesnt have the balls to stand up to players like nadal, screamapova etc and stop them abuisng it, when have you ever seen tony roch shouting at fed?

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

I think what Henman said sums it up pretty well, its part of the sport. Having coaches courtside would make it less individual, less of a mental game.

VSandhi20 · Futures qualifying

i agree. tennis is an individual sport with an exception of the Davis/Fed Cup. So to have coaches on the sidelines is not helping because it probably make the player even more anxious about what can they change in the match when you're 2 sets to love down! I mean players have a breather anyway with injury time outs and toilet breaks so why make it more frustrating for the fans in wasting say another 3 mins of the match, when we rather see the player's mentalilty being hit with a brick and saying "WTF have i done!" Anyway, coaches have enough time with players off court, so just leave it as it is.

Drew · Aug 15, 2006

imoen wrote:

I think what Henman said sums it up pretty well, its part of the sport. Having coaches courtside would make it less individual, less of a mental game.

Ditto Tim...and Bethan !

aria81 · Club Coach

I agree with Tim - beside, you know it would just be a matter of time before one of the more 'exuberant' personalities had a stand up argument in the middle of a match with their coach. I mean could you imagine Marat Safin's coach sitting beside him during one of his melt-down moments? Or Xavier Malisse's coach sitting beside him? It would be entertaining, but it could be disasterous.

I like the idea that if a player calls for a bathroom break, or has an injury time out that the opposing player gets to talk to his trainer (I think that's what's getting brought in on the WTA tour to prevent the tactical games that certain people - Henin-Hardenne, Sharapova etc use?) but I hate the idea about having coaches in constantly.

VSandhi20 · Futures qualifying

Just to prove the point of ineffective court coaching. Was watching Sujiyama plays an Canadian youngster, Wozniak(i think that how you spell). Ai was all happy with her coach on court in the 1st set when she was leading 4-2 in the break, but as soon the coach left, she got broken even though she won the match!

Sheddie · administrator

The WTA have been trialling courtside coaching during the US Open series apparently, what happens is that players get to speak to their coach once during each set and also while another player is taking an injury time-out or taking a bathroom break. Microphones have been attached so that Eurosport viewers can hear the conversations between player and coach and if it's in a foreign language it is recorded and translated.

Kim Cljisters has vehemently opposed the idea, she has not liked having the tactics she discusses with her coach made public. Others like Kuznetsova and Schnyder have welcomed the idea as it makes it more interactive for fans.

I like how the WTA have done this, I wouldn't agree with the idea of having coaches on the court at the change of ends for an entire match, as Ria said, there could be potentially explosive bust-ups between player and coach and also it would be a big disadvantage to lower ranked players who can't afford to travel with a coach. I like the fact that players can see a coach during opponent's bathroom breaks - too often used as a form of legalised cheating. I've seen so many matches in which a player has lost concentration while the opponent has gone off the court - being able to speak to a coach during this period would surely help.

I'm not sure about the idea of having the discussion broadcast to TV viewers, although it makes it better for viewers, I don't think it's fair on the players.