“Why are you trying to change the beauty of this game,” a question that Denis Shapovalov raised on social media shook the tennis world. He had a unique verdict to state about the new coaching rule introduced by the ITF. But isn’t it something that could be helpful for the players? Discussions have been lingering around on social media ever since the update officially broke. While other players like Taylor Fritz also took a firm stand against the new dynamic, here’s what former pro and legendary American ATP star Jimmy Connors has to say about it.

Tennis legend Jimmy Connors openly criticized the new rule allowing off-court coaching in his podcast Advantage Connors (released Oct 25). Connors has always valued independence on the court and feels that players should be well-prepared before stepping into a match. “You’re supposed to do all your hard work, all your grinding, all your listening…to your coaches before the matches,” Connors highlighted. For him, the essence of tennis lies in using preparation time wisely and relying on oneself during the actual match.

Amid this conversation, Connors also remembered a piece of advice from his own mentor (his mother). Jimmy Connors learned to hit the ball on the rise from his mother, Gloria Connors, who was also his coach. This technique helped him dominate early in his career. At 16, Gloria sent him to Southern California to train with renowned coach Pancho Segura. “If you don’t have it down by now, you’re not going to get it in the next five minutes,” he said. This taught him the importance of trusting his training and instincts without looking to others mid-game. “I just liked knowing that, hey, they’re in my corner,” Connors explained.

Connors also noted the modern trend of players looking to their box after nearly every point. He expressed frustration, saying, “What are they looking for? Coaching? Help? Divine intervention?” To him, players have “way too much to do down there[on court]” to focus on anything other than the match itself. The 2025 rule Connors thinks only confuses the sport’s purpose.

Starting January 1, 2025, the ITF will implement a significant rule change, allowing off-court coaching in sanctioned events. According to the revised Rule 30, ‘Coaching’ includes “communication, advice, or instruction of any kind and by any means.” This means that coaches can communicate from an off-court location in approved events. For team events, where a captain is seated courtside, coaches may provide guidance at specific times determined by the event’s sanctioning body. However, in standard competitions, on-court coaching will remain prohibited.

Besides Jimmy Connors, Rennae Stubbs shares insights on the new rule

Rennae Stubbs also weighed in on the controversial new rule allowing on-court coaching for both ATP and WTA players. With a hint of humor, Stubbs said, “Can we just laugh about that?” Having experienced tennis as both a player and a coach, Stubbs believes coaching has always been a subtle part of the sport, even when it wasn’t officially allowed. “With on-court coaching it’s like I have played and coached, and believe me when I tell you that even when it wasn’t allowed everyone was coaching,” she explained, referencing how players and coaches found ways to communicate discreetly.

Stubbs offered a glimpse into the clever methods players used to relay coaching tips during matches, without ever speaking a word. “I can do a little tip of my righty; it means serve to the forehand,” Stubbs shared, describing one of her own signaling techniques. She added, “You can cross your arms for cross-court.” These small movements allow players to receive strategic guidance without violating previous rules. Stubbs pointed out that signals like these make enforcing a no-coaching rule challenging, as they seamlessly blend into the game.

Stubbs also voiced concern about how this new rule might worsen inequalities in tennis, especially for lower-ranked players who may not have the resources to travel with a coach. “If you’re a top player, you get the practice courts for two hours, and a player ranked 60 gets it for an hour,” she said, highlighting the disparities in preparation time. She noted that top players also gain an edge by frequently practicing on big courts like Arthur Ashe Stadium, which is a luxury lower-ranked players rarely get. “If you never play a match, you are like ‘this court is big,’” Stubbs said, explaining how the limited exposure to larger venues can disadvantage lower-ranked players when they finally compete on those stages.

As more and more entities continue to chime in with their verdicts, it still remains to be seen if the players and coaches finally show acceptance of the rule.