Mark Petchey calls for change to antiquated tennis coaching regulations
Monday 29 June 2015 10:02, UK
Mark Petchey believes the time has come to change the 'antiquated' coaching rules that have been brought into the spotlight before Wimbledon.
The current code of conduct does not permit any form of coaching, audible or visible, during matches at major tournaments, although it is allowed now during regular events on the women's tour.
The subject made headlines over the weekend when Boris Becker admitted defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic looks to him for reassurance and guidance during matches, via discrete coded movements, the German also hinting that such practices are widespread.
Djokovic was forced to defend himself and Becker during his opening press conference on Sunday and Petchey feels it would be better for all concerned to allow a certain amount of communication to stop the kind of cloak and dagger help he admits to providing during his own coaching career.
"Boris is right, it goes on the whole time. I've been a coach and obviously you want your player to win, you are employed to get that player across the finishing line. If that means there is something you can see, you would be hard-pressed not to say anything," Petchey told Sky Sports News HQ.
"I'll be up front. I coached on the women's tour for a couple of years and one of the girls I had - she had a mobile phone in her bag. I dropped her a little message during the match.
"At the end of the day you want your player to win. If there is some instruction you want to get across that you didn't pre-match, and suddenly you see in a match that there is a tactic that is going to work...
"I just feel the rule is antiquated. In golf you have got a caddy, in football you have a manager on the sidelines. Yes a lot of players enjoy having the one-on-one, where it's just me against them, but at the same time why employ a coach if they are not going to help you when it really matters.
"I don't like it on the women's tour when they come to the chair, and they call them down, but if you are up in the box and you can say something, go for it."
