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Nick Kyrgios has strongly disagreed with the latest rule change in tennis. The ATP has legalized coaching during matches in the second half of the season, allowing players to get in-match advice from their coaches for tournaments starting the week of July 11.
Kyrgios replied to top tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou who welcomed the ATP's initiative, expressing his dissent at the change. The Australian player believes that allowing off-court coaching negates one of the most unique aspects of the sport - that of a player's ability being tested to find his own way during matches.
He also highlighted a major concern that would arise if one of the two players during a match did not have a coach.
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"Completely disagree. Loses one of the only unique traits that no other sport had. The player had to figure out things on his own. That was the beauty of it. What happens if a high profile player versus a low ranked player who doesn’t have or afford a coach?" said Kyrgios, replying to Mouratoglou.
The change will come into effect in ATP tournaments starting the week after the Wimbledon Championships and will run through the US Open, until the ATP Finals in Turin in November. After the end of the trial period, the ATP will take a call on the continuance of the rule for future seasons.
As per the new development, coaches will only sit in the designated seats allotted by tournaments to communicate with their players. Verbal coaching will only be allowed when the player is on the same side of the court as his coach. Penalties and fines will be handed out to players and coaches who act against the set guidelines.
This is not the first time Nick Kyrgios has spoken out against allowing coaching during matches. Last year, when Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas called for the legalization of in-match coaching, Kyrgios was quick to reject the idea.
"The beauty of tennis is to go out there alone!!! Some people choose not to have a coach, some people can’t afford a coach. On the tennis court it's a level playing field. I think it’s the beauty of the sport," Nick Kyrgios said back then.
Nick Kyrgios heads to Wimbledon in good form
Nick Kyrgios has been able to get some good match time on grass over the last few weeks, ahead of the upcoming Wimbledon Championships. Despite pulling out of the ongoing Mallorca Championships due to an abdominal injury, the World No. 45 is expected to recover in time for Wimbledon. He has played nine matches on grass this season, winning seven of them.
Kyrgios reached the semifinals of the Stuttgart Open, where he lost to Andy Murray in straight sets. He then repeated that result at the Halle Open, falling to Hubert Hurkacz in the last-four stage. Kyrgios defeated Laslo Dere in his first match in Mallorca before withdrawing from his match against Roberto Bautista Agut.
The Australian will be unseeded in the singles event at Wimbledon. He is also expected to play in the men's doubles event with fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis. Kyrgios and Kokkinakis won the Australian Open in January.
