An update of Tennis for your survival

Now, in a recent and historic announcement issued by the Professional Tennis Association (ATP), it is reported that Coaching – a term that refers to the instructions given to a player from the stands – will be tested, under certain regulations, during the entire the second half of the season this year. In other words, as of July 11, after the 2022 Wimbledon Grand Slam, a change in the essence of this centenary sport will become effective on the men’s professional circuit. This news has also revived a number of debates, for and against, in relation to this decision. A step that to date they had not dared to take. A revolutionary measure, which could set a before and after in the world of tennis. What does the test consist of?

According to the ATP, the test will allow coaching from specially designated coach seats during qualifying and main draw matches at ATP Tour events. Among the regulations, the following will be established: Coaching – verbal and non-verbal – is allowed only if it does not interrupt the game or create any obstacle for the opponent. The verbal must be in short sentences and only when the player is at the same end of the court. Nonverbal is allowed at any time and lastly, coaches may not speak to their player when the player leaves the court for any reason. Likewise, sanctions and fines will be applied for the abuse or misuse of the regulations. I wonder: will this result in a higher level of demand and preparation towards coaches? Will it calm and inhibit controversial parents like that of the player, #5 in the world, Stéfanos Tsitsipas (23)? Will it be the beginning of something else?

Innovations and tests. Just as the technology and innovation of the Hawk’s Eye (2006) was introduced, a fundamental factor to avoid many discussions and inconveniences in the face of doubtful spikes, in recent years there have also been changes in the duration formats of the matches and others, with the aim to enhance the fan and player experience. Without a doubt, everything is going to transform, evolve and test.

In relation to coaching, which to date has been prohibited, even sanctioned if the communication between the two was evident and detected by the referee judge, we must recognize that there is no tournament, at any level, where there is no coaching, on the part of most of the coaches -and of many parents in the junior stage-, either by signs or by words. Now, on the professional circuit, it can be done in public and not in secret. This initiative of the ATP, which apparently has the majority of the coaches and players in favor, if the experience is positive, it will be definitively established in white sport, as has been the case for several seasons in women’s tennis.

In this league, they have been testing various coaching rules in recent years, including coaching on the court and through headsets. There will then be a coherence throughout the sport. But if it is not broken! Many wonder, why make changes? If tennis, from the point of view of attendance at tournaments and streaming / TV ratings, is experiencing the best moment in its history. Why play with the essence and attractiveness of the game? If the beauty of this sport is that the player assumes that he or she is alone and he or she is the one who must analyze each situation and get ahead.

Roger Federer (40), one of the most recognized tennis players in history, thinks that coaching should not be authorized.

It is what differentiates us from other sports. The player must find the solution in his own way. In line with this assessment, the Sports Psychologist, Alexander Álvarez, former coach of the Davis Cup team of the Venezuelan national team (2017), also believes: “the psychological impact is profound, since its essence will be removed, as it is a sport that for long periods of time the player must solve the game on his own and on the fly”.

Another vision, which experts delimit, regarding the conception of the game, is that it is there where values ​​are forged and it helps to make decisions and responsibilities individually in sports, both on the field and in life.

To turn them into good people. During the formative stage, it is in training where coaching should be applied and not in matches. In this sense, since tennis is a sport where a very low percentage of athletes reach the elite level -less than 1%-, we could conclude that there would be no greater incidence if coaching is only allowed at the professional elite level.

It would not impact, nor would it be disadvantageous for the vast majority of players, who cannot afford the cost of a coach during their trips.

Return to the future. Why does tennis have to be so epic, so gladiatorial? In modern society we are going through very accelerated generational and technological changes. New challenges that go faster than our brain can process. A new generation of fans and athletes is coming in search of new experiences, with different needs and values. We are just entering the era of 5G, the Metaverse -augmented reality-, Big Data and artificial intelligence, non-binary sex, robotics and much more. Tennis must prepare for it.

The future is getting closer in sport. The value of the player will be the same. Tennis, adapting to the new times and rules of the game, will continue to be a very clean, exciting sport and whoever has the best head will continue to win. The one who knows what he has to do and does it. The balance between the physical, the technical and the mental will prevail. It is easy to imagine, at the turn of 20 years or earlier, that we will have a virtual coach, a Siri -artificial intelligence with personal assistant functions- on the court, indicating not only what game strategy to follow, but even when to play or stop. to avoid injury. The public will surely appreciate it.