Coaches will be on court with players at this year’s Australian Open in a grand slam first that tournament boss Craig Tiley hopes will add a fresh element to the sport.
New coaching “pods” will be positioned in two corners of each court that fit up to four performance staff per player.
Coaches can choose to sit courtside or in their usual space in the stands.
Australian Open boss Craig Tiley sits in one of the new courtside pods.Credit: Eddie Jim
They will be able to access real-time data and statistics from a screen inside the pods, while there is also a cooling mechanism for comfort.
The introduction of Tiley’s pods coincides with coaches officially being allowed to speak to players when they are at the same end of the court from the 2025 Australian Open.
“We tested it this week, and some coaches were a bit sceptical at first, but then they sat down and said, ‘This is great’,” Tiley told this masthead.
“I think we’re going to find much more than the majority will actually sit on the court. You have a great sight line of your player after every point.
“When they come and get their towel, you can talk to them, so you’re almost, in effect, able to coach your player after each point, if you want to.”
Tiley said the pods should also provide greater commercial opportunities for the coaches.
“There are very different views in our sport on whether the coach should be allowed on the court or not,” he said.
“I’ve been an advocate for the coach being allowed on the court, just simply because it adds to the whole story, and the whole show, and every other sport has it.”
Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been penalised in the past when in-match coaching was illegal, hailed the rule changes – and the pods, even if he initially found them “kind of weird”.
“You know why it is weird? Because I see my coaches and some other team members in a particular box and the rest of them upstairs, which, I don’t know – I’m not used to it,” Tsitsipas said.
“I guess I will acclimatise at some point.
“[But] I wish to see those things applied into tennis and see matches change because of what a coach has to say. It’s definitely something that will be cool for tennis. I think it will offer something new and innovative.”
The pods are just one part of Tiley’s vision for coaches, who he believes deserve a higher profile, as in other sports.
Coaches at this year’s Australian Open will have a concierge desk, a bigger lounge and access to all the same services as players, from massages to medical support and cutting-edge data.
Tiley is also keen for coaches to appear in more post-match media conferences alongside their players.
“As an ex-coach, I believe that coaches should have a bigger profile in the story of the event and in the story of the relationship with the players,” Tiley said.
“We think [the pods are] going to create bigger stories with coaches, a more interesting narrative, give the coaches more profile, and there’s a good chance we’re going to see some things happen down there that are pretty interesting.”
Watch all the Australian Open action live on Nine, 9Now and Stan from Sunday, January 12.
