Chat with the Coach
The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour is continuing its test of on-court coaching during the 2007 season. One major reason for this experiment is to provide TV tennis viewers with access to the comments from the coaches when they talk to their players during the breaks between sets. Under the test, a player must designate a coach prior to the start of the match. The coach is then allowed to come on the court during the changeover between sets, as well as when a
player’s opponent takes a bathroom break. The coaches are miced so that the TV audience can hear their comments. However, some coaches seem to have forgotten to turn on their mics when they walk on the court and therefore, the player receives coaching while the TV fans at home never hear a word, e.g. Michael Joyce’s chat with Maria Sharapova in San Diego. I hope that on-court coaching is never approved by the Tour. However, if it does become a standard part of the Tour starting in 2008, should there be a “penalty” for a coach and/or a player when the coach does not wear a mic for the on-court chit chat? What about a point penalty for the player? A monetary fine for the coach?
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