On-court coaching in tennis was once forbidden but has been allowed to a limited extent since last year. Interactions between player and coach are restricted to hand signals and simple instructions within 25 seconds before a point is played and when the player is on the same side as their coach’s box.
Although coaching is now permitted, it is still recommended to keep instructions private to maintain fairness and avoid disrupting an opponent’s focus. During a recent match at the Barcelona Open, Stefanos Tsitsipas’s father and coach, Apostolos, was reprimanded by the chair umpire for excessive communication.
Apostolos is known for being a vocal supporter of his son’s tennis career and often utilizes on-court coaching to help Stefanos win matches. Despite not receiving a warning, the communication between father and son proved pivotal as Tsitsipas was able to break his opponent and eventually win the match.
Tsitsipas progressed to the final of the Barcelona Open, where he will face Casper Ruud in a rematch of the Monte Carlo final, which Tsitsipas won convincingly. This final will be a chance for either Tsitsipas to claim his first ATP 500 title or for Ruud to secure a victory above the ATP 250 level. The outcome will be decided on Sunday in Barcelona.
