On-court coaching in the WTA

[Moxie]

Alright, I didn't do the best job of splitting off these posts. Part of the conversation from the other thread is in this post, and Ozza's is here, which I will indicate:

That works too. Is there a place on the WTA website where you can submit such things?

I am not certain....I will have to check it out.

Here is a link to how you can send a message to the WTA. I'm willing to do it, too, as I'm against on-court coaching:

http://www.wtatennis.com/contact-us

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THIS IS OZZA'S POST. (sorry Ozza, for making a hash of splitting it.)

I am against on court coaching for several reasons.

I don't think on court coaching actually achieves what it was meant to originally achieve. The idea was to give you an insight into player, coach relationships and that it would be good for TV. For me it's never lived up to this billing. Firstly just a simple logistic issue that unless you understand many languages you won't understand many on court coaching sessions. It tends to only be the bigger events you can even hear the coaches speak. It also just comes across terribly on TV the majority of the time. Too many on court coaching sessions consist of 1 player head in towel or totally blanking their coach, you have some coaches just ranting at their player, and in some cases even arguments between player and coach. It's just not a good look for the game. There's very few times I can look at a match and really think on court coaching added anything to the spectacle.

Secondly I think it's stupid to have a rule on the tour that you don't have at grand slams. It just doesn't make sense.

I don't think anything is going to happen though. At the recent player board meetings they were discussing the potential of expanding on court coaching to providing coaches with live stats on the match. I think probably as a sponsor ploy due to the WTA's deal with SAP. I am kind of surprised though because most top players seem against it and most top coaches seem against it too.

 

[Moxie]

We've been discussing, so let's take the conversation here.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ozza made some good points regarding the WTA rule of allowing 'On Court Coaching.

My feelings are,

Tactics play a very important part of the game of tennis.A coach can only do soo much,it is up to the player in my view,to work out by herself on court why her game plan is not working.She should be able to change her tactics....eg going to her B plan,if her A game plan isnt working.Having a coach coming on court to me is 'spoon feeding' their player.In my view the player will not learn.Just a few of my thoughts on this rule.If I remember correctly,they did trial this rule,then it was up to the players to vote on it?.....I could be wrong there.

 

[Moxie]

RE: [split] Mutua Madrid Open 2014

Agreed that Ozza makes good points, especially about what the rule was intended to do, as compared to what it does.

My biggest beef is that it makes the women look weak and patronized. If the men have to be so much out there on their own that even the suggestion that a comment was made from the box, they can be penalized for it, then the women should do it on their own, as well. There are enough complaints about equal pay without having the women seeming to need a mid-match pep-talk from what is often a male coach. It's a bad look, and the WTA should end it. Additionally, I think it rarely aids the player, and adds nothing to the enjoyment of the sport. If anything, it detracts.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

You ladies look at it as a demeanor.
I look at it as an advantage! I enjoyed Martina's visit to Sabine today, Sabine was too tense to take advantage.....

 

[Moxie]

You ladies look at it as a demeanor.
I look at it as an advantage! I enjoyed Martina's visit to Sabine today, Sabine was too tense to take advantage.....

So…it didn't help, is what you're saying?

 

[kskate2]

It rarely helps. Most times, the player does 1 of 2 things:
- The first game after the visit they will employ the tactics, but shortly after that their opponent changes things around and they're lost again
- They go on court and do exactly the opposite of what the coach instructed

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

You ladies look at it as a demeanor.
I look at it as an advantage! I enjoyed Martina's visit to Sabine today, Sabine was too tense to take advantage.....

So…it didn't help, is what you're saying?

It's not as easy as that to decide upon, I can argue Martina said the right things but Sabine didn't follow....
Judging by the language(German) I didn't understand....

 

[Moxie]

You ladies look at it as a demeanor.
I look at it as an advantage! I enjoyed Martina's visit to Sabine today, Sabine was too tense to take advantage.....

So…it didn't help, is what you're saying?

It's not as easy as that to decide upon, I can argue Martina said the right things but Sabine didn't follow....
Judging by the language(German) I didn't understand....

But is it your impression that Sabine's results would have been different without coach intervention?

 

[golds girl]

I think it continues the narrative of 'weakness'.
They play fewer sets in the Grand Slams- physically weak
They also need their coaches to come out and remind them about what they did in practice or reveal the correct strategy -mentally weak. And on that note, it perpetuates the myth of the 'emotional' woman who needs some 'sense' talked into her ( exacerbated by the fact that most WTA coaches are male)

 

[Moxie]

I think it continues the narrative of 'weakness'.
They play fewer sets in the Grand Slams- physically weak
They also need their coaches to come out and remind them about what they did in practice or reveal the correct strategy -mentally weak. And on that note, it perpetuates the myth of the 'emotional' woman who needs some 'sense' talked into her ( exacerbated by the fact that most WTA coaches are male)

This strikes to the heart of it, coldly, Golds Girl, but it needs to be said.