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Coaching from the stands is not unanimous in the world of tennis

The Women’s Tennis Association is experimenting with coaching from the stands. Coaches can now communicate with players during the match. But while some speak of the end of hypocrisy, others do not see this measure very favorably.

“We are much more liberated. We are no longer an outlaw and we no longer play hide and seek with the referee. I find it really healthier.” Thomas Drouet, the coach of the Chinese tennis player Qiang Wang is adamant, the authorization of coaching from the stands is a good thing.

Until then, coaches were formally prohibited from communicating with the players verbally or by gestures, throughout the match, under penalty of sanctions. This practice is the subject of an experiment initiated by the Women’s Tennis Association on the Dubai tournament. The end of hypocrisy for Thomas Drouet: “All sports have their coach. In football, the coach talks to the players who are running behind the ball, in cycling they have earpieces. It is exactly the same principle.”

But the measure is not unanimous. Bertrand Perret, French coach of the Taiwanese Su-Wei Hsieh is against: “I don’t like players being seen as robots, telling them ‘do this or that’. I think we have to let them play a bit, let them express themselves. a champion is to make the right decision at the right time. “

The players are also divided. Pauline Parmentier is quite favorable to this development, but under certain conditions: “J ‘hope that the coaches will stay in their places and that it will not overflow. It has to be framed, and the coaches must not start to stand up and speak too loud. It’s the only thing that scares me a little. “

Coaching from the stands will be further tested in various tournaments before the Women’s Tennis Association does not decide to authorize it permanently or to delete it. The decision should fall at the end of the year.

The France Info report

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