The U.S. Open will be permitting coaching from the stands for the first time in Grand Slam history.
The rule adjustment for this year's Grand Slam is part of an "off-court coaching" trail the tours are partaking in.
The only requirement is that coaches must remain in their designated seats and can only communicate with players when they are on the same side of the court.
World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas was not shy to say he is loving this opportunity but admitted to getting coached whether it is legal or not.
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“Doesn't change anything at all,” Tsitsipas said on Friday. “My coach has not been as discreet as other coaches, but it has been always happening. I've gotten a lot of coaching violations, which I found unfair. But now that it's legalized, I'm more than happy I won't have to deal with referees that are so strict and want to kind of ruin the game.”
On the other side of the spectrum, American Taylor Fritz hates the coaching rule and thinks it takes away the uniqueness of the sport.
“I don't like it,” Fritz admitted. “Tennis is an individual sport, so why should someone else be able to help you? I think people underestimate how mental and strategic the sport is, so they don't understand how big of a difference it is.”
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“It's something that's unique to tennis. There's coaches in other sports… You have to change things up for yourself, figure out yourself what's going on, adjust to what the opponent's doing,” he added.
The U.S. Open is set to begin on Monday, Aug. 29 with the implementation of the new coaching rule.
