If you’re a tennis lover, you might already notice that on-court coaching isn’t allowed. But do you know the reason why? If you also have the question, “Why can’t you coach during a tennis match?” in mind, today’s article is for you. We’ve also included a few more information regarding the topic. Read on for more information.
[toc]
Related
The Reasons Why You Can’t Coach During A Tennis Match
Tennis is an individual competition, and observing the physical and mental qualities in a match is part of why people go crazy about it. Many spectators who are adamantly opposed to coaching believe that athletes should be left to find everything out independently. It is what transforms the sport into a true one-on-one encounter.
However, while many people still hold their beliefs against the idea of coaching in games, the WTA has been more candid about it. For the very first time in tennis history, they chose to test on-court coaching in 2006.
The trial was so successful that it is still approved at WTA tournaments today. However, it can only be used once each set throughout a changeover and once between the sets.
With a decade under their belts, most women’s professional competitors feel OK having this new right. It has made a difference in a few games since a coach could ease his (or her) students’ mind and offer helpful suggestions against the opposing player. But, although it is permitted, a few competitors still choose not to try on-court coaching.
The Pluses and Minuses of On-Court Coaching
Tennis professionals are renowned for abruptly employing and replacing their coaches. Being the official coach of an ATP or WTA competitor is a rigorous position. If a player fails to play as anticipated, it is simple to point the finger at the coach.
Players not only seek tactic guidance from their coach, but they also want encouragement and mental support. A competent tennis coach demonstrates their value throughout short rest periods throughout a tennis tournament and entire match preparations.
Since the tennis tournament is so prolonged and involves so much traveling, there isn’t an official off-season. As a result, some coaches may only get a few days to figure out things with the player and demonstrate that they introduce something to the picture.
Playing strategies and competition preparations are complicated since there maybe just under a day to bring together a strategy in the course of a game. As there is no coaching throughout the game, several circumstances must be discussed before the competing day and on the following day, practice it all over.
The unpleasant fact is that a tennis coach could do everything correctly, but a poor game could cost them employment. Nobody is untouchable in the field, either.
Ivan Lendl won 8 Grand Slam titles as a competitor and 3 more as a coach alongside Andy Murray. Alexander Zverev, on the other hand, dumped him following a bad run of games in under a year.
The Responsibilities of a Tennis Coach
Tennis may not allow coaching throughout competitions. However, the field takes quite a bit of guidance to get to the elite. In fact, tennis is among the most challenging sports to compete at the topmost level because only around 150 players on the ATP and WTA tournaments make a good income annually.
To reach the summit in tennis, it requires years of exercise and training. Anyone who does not take the competition seriously before the year of 10 is at a considerable minus.
Unless a kid reaches adulthood with a tennis coach as one of the parents, the proper guidance to gain professional-level could take thousands, if not millions.
Coaching will always be crucial in tennis, although their purpose is to train their students for tournaments. The game day, for coaches, is equivalent to a test of both them and the students. Indeed, it’s time for the player to test their abilities on their own.
See a day in a tennis coach’s life: One Day In The Life Of A Tennis Coach
The Benefits of Coaching
The financial gap between the top 1 player and a qualifying tournament player at a Grand Slam event is considerable.
A player who possesses several Grand Slam medals, such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or Novak Djokovic, usually owns enormous money. Their income is high enough to pay for a whole group of coaches and specialists’ travels to all events.
Whenever coaching, accommodation, meals, insurance, and other expenses are taken into account, a competitor who usually competes at the Challenger level is barely making any money, even in rare situations.
The best players already receive a massive boost due to their high-level team supporting them, first-class traveling accommodations, early draws, and other factors.
Permitting coaching will also offer another benefit since most lower-level players cannot bring anybody with them unless it is a quick journey. Thus, to create a fairer environment for talents to shine, tennis usually bans on-court coaching.
Wrapping Up,
Hopefully, now you have grasped the answer to the question, “Why can’t you coach during a tennis match?”
This topic is still a hot debate in the tennis lovers’ community, and indeed, each side has excellent reasons to back up their beliefs. Thus, there has been no final call whether on-court coaching should be allowed or not.
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comment section below – we’d love to hear your opinions!
Further Reading
