Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki has become the latest player to support calls for on-court coaching to be implemented at grand slams in the future.
Last week a debate about the use of the method was triggered after Patrick Mouratoglou published a statement calling for the practice to be used all grand slams. Currently on-court coaching is only allowed on the WTA Tour and has been since 2009. Mouratoglou is the coach of Serena Williams, who engaged in a heated argument with umpire Carlos Ramos at the US Open after she was given a warning for coaching. An allegation the American firmly denied.
“Coaching is a vital component of any sporting performance. Yet, banning it almost makes it looks as if it has to be hidden, or as if it was shameful.” Mouratoglou said.
“Authorizing coaching and actually staging it so that the viewers can enjoy it as a show would ensure that it remains pivotal in the sport.”
Weighing in on the argument, Wozniacki has backed the Frenchman’s comments. Speaking about on-court coaching at the WTA Finals, the world No.3 said she believes tennis should follow the same road as other sports that allows coaching during the matches. An opinion that has also been previously expressed by Sloane Stephens.
“I think basically all sports have on-court coaching or have coaching. So I don’t see why not in tennis.” Wozniacki said following her win over Petra Kvitova at the WTA Finals on Tuesday.
Guiding Wozniacki on the tour is her father and coach Piotr. A former football player who once played for Danish team Boldklubben 1909. Piotr has been an instrumental figure in Wozniacki’s development. She currently has 30 titles to her name and has spent 71 weeks as world No.1.
“I just try and get the information that he feels I may need, and that’s why I don’t really talk much. I just kind of absorb. And then I have my own opinion, as well.” Wozniacki explained about their interaction during matches on the Tour.
“But if he says something that I think I can use, then I use it. If I think that he says something that I don’t agree with, then I just do my own thing.
“A lot of times you feel differently on the court than it seems from the outside. So it’s nice to get that input once in a while.”
Although on-court coaching is prohibited in the main draws at all four majors, the tournaments are looking into potentially changing their rules in the future. A move triggered by the dramatic US Open women’s final involving Williams that took place earlier this year.
Injury setback is nothing new
This week the 28-year-old is bidding to win the WTA Finals for a second year in a row. So far in the tournament she has lost to Karolina Pliskova before defeating Kvitova. In her latest match, Wozniacki triggered fears about an injury hindering her after complaining about pain in her knee.
Despite the concerns, Wozniacki has played down its significance. Explaining that the issue concerns her Patella and she has experienced similar pain before. The Patella is also known as the kneecap.
“It’s something I have had in the past and something I have struggled with for years. I haven’t had this problem for a while now.” She stated.
“It’s the patella which was hurting me. I’m just gonna tape it up, and that’s worked for me in the past. It worked for me today. Thankfully, it’s the last tournament of the year so we can patch ourselves up after the tournament.”
Wozniacki will take on Elina Svitolina in her third match at Singapore on Thursday. With all four players in her group still in with a chance of progressing, she needs to defeat the Ukrainian in order to secure her place in the semifinals.
In their head-to-head, Wozniacki trails Svitolina 1-3.
