Allow coaching to the healthy player during injury timeouts

citybert

Hall of Fame
To make it fair for the player not receiving treatment on the sideline why dont they allow coaching to him/her while they sit and wait. Isnt this a no brainer and people will also stop complaining about players faking their injury to slow momentum or to just get a backrub.
 

*Sparkle*

Professional
That's kind-of OK if the person with the injury might be faking, and for younger players, they might need someone to keep them motivated and remind them to keep warm etc.

What would concern me is that where the injury is genuine, and restricting movement, the coach will simply be briefing their player on their opponent's weaknesses, and tips on how to exploit that. I'm not averse to a player moving their opponent side to side if they spot a weakness in that movement, but if they are going to do that, they should be able to work it out for themselves.

Maybe they could just be offered a bit of a rub down to keep the muscles warm?
 

West Coast Ace

G.O.A.T.
Just say 'no' to all in-match coaching. I'd like to see the players boxes moved either to the middle of the far side, so they couldn't even give advice on line calls and too far to give any verbal coaching - or better yet, let them watch from TV in the players lounge.
 

namelessone

Legend
Just say 'no' to all in-match coaching. I'd like to see the players boxes moved either to the middle of the far side, so they couldn't even give advice on line calls and too far to give any verbal coaching - or better yet, let them watch from TV in the players lounge.

This is nice in theory but it's pretty much impossible to implement. Coaching existed all the way back in the 70's and flourishes in today's tennis.

Ok, so you ban coaches and staff to come to said player's matches. Big deal, they will just hire certain people to go incognito in the stands and give out "advice" to the players, informing the player beforehand where they should look/listen.

Every ump knows that the players gets some coaching in(looking at their box to challenge is the most obvious example) but they only give out warnings when it becomes too blatant for their liking. But still, blatant or not, it happens on a regular basis, far more than people here like to think.

I'd bet that in the next 10 years or so the ATP will go the way of the WTA and allow coaching. It already happens on a pretty big level and since it's almost impossible to truly stop, it's the next obvious step.

You should either enforce a rule or abolish it but the problem with the coaching rule is that it is vague and open to interpretation. In theory, ANY communication between the player and the box is coaching, even shouts of encouragement. Tell me of a box that will stay silent when their player is having a tight match. Not many I'd wager.
 

fednad

Hall of Fame
To make it fair for the player not receiving treatment on the sideline why dont they allow coaching to him/her while they sit and wait. Isnt this a no brainer and people will also stop complaining about players faking their injury to slow momentum or to just get a backrub.

hmmm.
That sounds interesting and not entirely unreasonable.
I actually agree with you.
 

pennc94

Professional
Just allow coaching. What's the big deal? Even boxers have their corners barking out coaching. What makes tennis so special?
 

sbengte

G.O.A.T.
Agree. Best way to discourage fake MTOs taken with the sole purpose of disrupting opponent's momentum.
 

woodrow1029

Hall of Fame
at WTA tournaments, coaching is allowed to the non-injured player while the opponent is taking a MTO, but only at WTA tournaments.
 

woodrow1029

Hall of Fame
Isnt this only at the select 8 designated tournaments. Until They roll it out to more?
On court coaching is allowed at all WTA tour events. Each player can have their coach on court for one changeover per set. Additionally, when a player takes a toilet break or a medical timeout, the opponent can have their coach on court.
 

bigserving

Hall of Fame
Just allow coaching. What's the big deal? Even boxers have their corners barking out coaching. What makes tennis so special?

The more recent argument is that not players can afford to pay for coaching or have full-time coaches with them. This might give a player an unfair economic/coaching advantage.

Tennis had traditionally been the sport where two players prepare, then they are on their own to execute strategy once the match begins.

The only reason that coaching is being tested now is that it can add more drama and/or bring another personality to a televised match.
 

NEW_BORN

Hall of Fame
I've always felt that players should be allowed 1 timeout per set to talk to their coaches.
Virtually every other sport has it (including table tennis), why not tennis.
I think it would make for a more tactical match, maybe even generate more drama and suspense.
 
coaching should be allowed the perception that a few words from your coach is magically going to turn you into a tennis god is ludicrous.
 

citybert

Hall of Fame
...assuming all injury timeouts are fake, which they are not.

Even if they are legit, there should be some concession provided to the other player. Very few sports completely stop play this way for an injury. True there are no timeouts or halftimes but i dont see this as being a major change. They allow coaching during weather delays
 

Manus Domini

Hall of Fame
I've always felt that players should be allowed 1 timeout per set to talk to their coaches.
Virtually every other sport has it (including table tennis), why not tennis.
I think it would make for a more tactical match, maybe even generate more drama and suspense.

Not a bad idea, and a way to help rookies on the tour with mental strength, especially if against the top guns.

I am against coaching during MOs in general, simply because (as has been mentioned) players could take advantage of it in case there is an actual injury (believe it or not, they do happen).
 

citybert

Hall of Fame
Not a bad idea, and a way to help rookies on the tour with mental strength, especially if against the top guns.

I am against coaching during MOs in general, simply because (as has been mentioned) players could take advantage of it in case there is an actual injury (believe it or not, they do happen).

But why(on your last point) injuries are part of the game and if you need treatment there should some consequences. I am not against injury timeouts and it helps the product they are trying to put on the court just thought it could be fair to the opponent.
 

Lawn Tennis

Semi-Pro
To make it fair for the player not receiving treatment on the sideline why dont they allow coaching to him/her while they sit and wait. Isnt this a no brainer and people will also stop complaining about players faking their injury to slow momentum or to just get a backrub.

great idea
 
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