AO Reportedly to Allow On-Court Coaching in 2020

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
‘Say it ain’t so’: Report claims Aus Open set for radical revolution
The Australian Open will reportedly become the first grand slam to break with tennis tradition in the wake of the Serena Williams-US Open furore.


The Australian Open is reportedly set to become the first grand slam to allow on-court coaching in the wake of the Serena Williams coaching furore at the US Open.

A report from American media claims Tennis Australia and Australian Open officials have already begun planning to allow coaching at the 2020 Open — making this year’s event the last one where all forms of coaching are banned once players have stepped out onto court.

It comes after Williams’ US Open meltdown resulted in some calling for the rules surrounding coaching to be overhauled after the 23-time grand slam champion was ultimately hit with a game penalty in the final against Naomi Osaka for three separate code violations, including a coaching violation when chair umpire Carlos Ramos ruled the American star had been receiving coaching from mentor Patrick Mouratoglou, who was sitting in her players box.

It has sparked an ongoing debate about the grey rules which govern what constitutes coaching and what constitutes supporting from courtside coaches.

The Australian Open is now set to be the first slam to buckle to the pressure, and will this year reportedly reach out to players to players before making a final decision on whether to allow coaches to instruct their players during matches.

Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim has told the Tennis Channel the Australian Open is likely to be the first slam to bring in the new rules, before the US Open is expected to follow suit.

“I was talking to an executive at Tennis Australia and he said don’t be surprised if by this time next year both the Australian Open and US Open have this,” he said.

“Remember, the majors have a certain amount of latitude when it comes to setting policy. We saw this year they changed the decisive tie-break in the matches and next year we know US Open has wanted on court coaching. Australian Open now says they are going to confer with the players. I was told by 2020 don’t be surprised if two of the four majors have mid-match on-court coaching.”

The report immediately sent shockwaves across the tennis world with tennis traditionalists going public with their criticism of the Australian Open’s decision.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/tenni...n/news-story/86c5459d0f32cdcc124b694d51c69672
 

bjsnider

Hall of Fame
Along with fast 4, matches finished in 60 mins or less, this is probably the future -- added drama from open microphone coaching exchanges between the team and the players. Inevitably, coaching teams will end up arguing with each other and the officials on the court, possibly including fisticuffs. Maybe chairs and other foreign objects thrown around.
 

icedevil0289

G.O.A.T.
well we'll see what happens and its kind of annoying the way this article is framed because funny enough when coaching is allowed on the wta, serena doesn't call for it and iirc was always not in general a fan of on court coaching.

i can see on court coaching becoming way more about the coach than the player and the added theatrics is not needed. if the umpires can't enforce teh rules on a consistent basis, they should have some others as back up, idk
 
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