Taylor Fritz He said that the decision of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow ‘coaching’ (off-court training) from 2025 it will destroy the strategic and mental elements of the game.
The ITF announced on Monday that off-court training will be allowed from January 1following a decision made at the body’s annual general meeting this month.
According to the ITF, the change will make tennis “fairer and potentially more entertaining”.
Off-court training has already been implemented on a trial basis at four Grand Slamsas well as on the ATP and WTA circuits from 2023.
The US Open finalist has previously criticized off-court coaching and expressed his displeasure with the rule change in a post on X on Monday, writing: “Can we stop ruining the 1v1 mental/strategic aspect of the sport PLEASE?“.
In its part, Denis Shapovalov says decision to allow off-court training ‘sad to see’ as a fan of this sport.
“Tennis is special because you are alone on the court. Why are they trying to change the beauty of this game?“, published the Canadian in X.
ITF chief executive Stuart Miller said the decision was made following consultation with key stakeholders including players, coaches and referees.
“The players think that this is a positive development and that it makes the tournaments more interesting for them. Coaches say it helps players improve and contributes to improving the prestige of his profession,” Miller added.
“Chairmen say it improves their ability to focus on managing the game and making the right decisions, rather than whether or not a coach is coaching against the rules.”
Source: La Verdad
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