“Can we stop ruining the 1v1 mental/strategic aspect of the sport PLEASE,” wrote Taylor Fritz last month, reacting to the change regarding off-court coaching. With the next season, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) will allow off-court coaching in all matches from January 1, 2025. Per the federation, this rule will “help ease the burden on chair umpires in policing the practice, often across multiple languages, by reducing subjectivity.” Now, a former American pro has also reiterated her sentiments on this entire matter.

In an episode of her Serving Aces podcast, dated November 19th, she revealed her inner thoughts on off-court coaching. While she didn’t strictly reject it, Stevenson made it clear that she wasn’t also a huge supporter of it. “I’m going to play the devil’s advocate as a player. All right. So when we watched Coco Gauff throughout this year, and when Brad Gilbert was in her box, and she won the US Open with him, and she was good, but then she started looking up at the box and saying, what do I do? What do I do? Instead of saying, like, okay, I’m playing, let’s figure it out,” said the former WTA pro.

“So the devil’s advocate of where Taylor Fritz is saying, you’re ruining the strategy between the players and what they’re going to do. I can see that because that’s what’s so fun about tennis to me, is you’ve got to figure it out yourself, right?”

Recalling her days alongside Serena Williams, when on-court coaching wasn’t as prevalent, she said, “So I never liked being coached on the court. I liked our game plans before and then you go execute it. But that’s also because I didn’t grow up with coaching. I feel now it would be helpful, but also at times I’d want to figure it out myself.”

Earlier this earlier, everyone witnessed a heated exchange of words between Coco Gauff and her ex-coach. Of course, the off-court coaching rule was the main culprit behind it. Gauff was trailing during her Wimbledon match against Emma Navarro in the fourth round. To seek help, she looked up at the box where Brad was sitting. She yelled, “Tell me something. You guys aren’t saying anything.” Gilbert seemed confused at that moment. Although he tried to give her alternative solutions, they didn’t work out. Eventually, Coco lost the match in straight sets. Two months later, the frustration was at its peak!

Coco Gauff was visibly frustrated during her fourth-round match against Caroline Wozniacki at the US Open. She was upset by the loss of the second set, a stumble that led to a break, and a series of double faults. Some believe her frustration was also directed at her coach, Brad Gilbert, who was sitting courtside. Gauff was heard telling Gilbert to “stop talking” on multiple occasions. Referencing this incident, Stevenson added,

“but then as a viewer watching it, it is more entertaining to see the whole box interaction with the player. We didn’t get coached on the court. Sometimes the coach will give it and the player will tell him to shut up. we have seen it. And then the coach actually has to feel like ‘okay i m gonna be quiet’.”

Speaking of Fritz more, it’s not the first time he’s expressed his thoughts against off-court coaching. Actually, he’s been sticking to his opinion for more than two years now!

When Taylor Fritz revealed how much he hates off-court coaching

In his ATP Finals opener’s post-match conference, when Frtiz was asked about his own thoughts on off-court coaching, he said, “I think one thing that makes tennis such a unique sport, such a cool sport, is it’s genuinely as mental as it is physical. It’s a big, key part, in my opinion, to be able to figure things out and strategize by yourself. People change things that they’re doing on the court to adjust to the opponent.” Fritz implied that the new rule will eliminate the fun of strategic battles between players.

Simply because it will now compel them to seek advice more frequently rather than using their own brains. Especially when they feel the need to figure out a solution on their own. “It’s such a big part of the game…That’s something that should be between the two players….but it would be insane if someone on the court and serve for you, right??(laughs). So why someone can tell you what to do..”, he added. Similarly, cack in 2022, Fritz was asked whether he thought off-court coaching was good or bad.

In his honest reaction, he said, “I haven’t talked to Mike [Russell, Fritz’s coach] and he hasn’t talked to me one time since the coaching has become a thing. It’s a dumb rule. You need to be the one figuring it out. I think it’s ridiculous that you can be mentally not there, not good analytically, not good at kind of working through things and coming up with strategies, and you can have someone tell you what to do. I hate it,” said Fritz.

On the other hand, players like Jannik Sinner think the new rule won’t change a lot of things. “Yeah, I don’t think it will change like incredibly much. Even now they are just some coaches who still, you know, give some advice at some times. So, you know, I believe that this sport is still — as a player, you are alone in the court and trying to figure out alone what the situation is. But, you know, there are already, you know, some connections with the coach, and then you understand already what he’s talking about and what he’s suggesting already, so I don’t think it’s going to change incredibly much,” said the World No.1.

What are your thoughts on off-court coaching rule in general? Do you think it will bring drastic changes during the matches? Let us know in the comments below.