Taylor Fritz has voiced strong opposition to the upcoming rule change allowing coaching during tennis matches. Instead, he has suggested an alternative approach to the on-court coaching rule proposed by tennis authorities.
In October, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced that starting in 2025, coaches will be allowed to guide players during matches using verbal cues or hand signals. However, any coaching outside of breaks must be “brief and discreet,” and players may use approved technology for analysis during these moments.
I think a big part of the reason they made that rule in the first place is that they were kind of intimidated because a lot of people were breaking the rules anyway and still coaching during matches. In my opinion, I think there should be microphones in the box. I think there should be someone monitoring the microphones. The rules should be very, very strict and if a coach goes beyond just encouraging you, you’re immediately penalized. That’s how you deal with problems. That’s how there’s no coaching. The players have to figure it out for themselves. That’s, like I said, one of the great things about tennis.
Taylor Fritz in the post-match press conference at the ATP Finals (H/T: Tennis Majors)
The rule has received mixed reactions from both players and fans. The ITF claims the change will make the game “fairer and possibly more entertaining.”
Fritz, however, feels this rule clashes with the nature of tennis as a sport where players solve challenges independently. After his ATP Finals win over Daniil Medvedev, the world number seven criticized the new rule and suggested that microphones be placed in coaches’ boxes to monitor their interactions.
Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz to clash in a US Open final rematch at the ATP Finals
When Jannik Sinner faces Taylor Fritz on Tuesday (November 12) night, fans are in for an exciting match. Both players won their opening round-robin matches convincingly, making this clash in the Ilie Nastase Group highly anticipated.
Sinner displayed his determination in his first match, beating Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4. The Italian star fought back from an early break, breaking twice in the first set and once in the second. This marked his 66th win of the year, tying him with Alexander Zverev and showcasing his strong form.
Returning to compete on home soil, the 23-year-old Italian is riding a wave of momentum. After winning in Shanghai and reaching the finals in Beijing, Sinner aims to extend his seven-match winning streak to eight. Fritz, however, comes into this match confident after a straight-sets win over Daniil Medvedev, where his powerful serve helped him win 70% of his first serves and convert 50% of his break points.
For Fritz, this match is a chance for redemption after Sinner defeated him in the US Open finals. Since then, Fritz has had a mixed season with early exits in Tokyo and Paris but reached the semi-finals in Shanghai, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
