Serena Williams former coach Patrick Mouratoglou made a shocking admission after ATP announced that they will trial off-court coaching from July.
While the WTA allows coaches to speak to players during a Tour match, it used to be strictly prohibited in Grand Slams and on the ATP Tour.
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But earlier this week, the ATP said they will trial off-court coaching, an experiment that will include US Open.
This is a particularly bad one from you Todd. You have been on tour for a long time. Why do you deny the evidence of the coaching happening every day on the courts ? To purposely trying to make me look bad and accusing me ? This is disappointing… https://t.co/0NgFp6dBXc
— Patrick Mouratoglou (@pmouratoglou) June 22, 2022
The trial will permit coaching from designated coach seats during qualifying and main draw matches.
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“Congratulations to the ATP for ‘legalising’ a practice that has been going on at almost every match for decades,” Mouratoglou wrote on twitter.
“No more hypocrisy.”
Doubles legend Todd Woodbridge, one half of the ‘Woodies’, took exception to Mouratoglou’s words.
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“This is so disappointing to see that such a high profile coach blatantly admits that he has broken the rules of our sport for so long,” Woodbridge said.
But as Mouratoglou pointed out, he never said he had done it.
“This is a particularly bad one from you Todd. You have been on tour for a long time,” Mouratoglou replied.
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“Why do you deny the evidence of the coaching happening every day on the courts?
“To purposely trying to make me look bad and accusing me? This is disappointing…
“And by the way, learn to read. I never wrote that I was doing what you pretend I wrote.”
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Mouratoglou has been accused of illegal coaching in the past.
During the 2018 women’s US Open final, chair umpire Carlos Ramos gave Williams a warning for what he interpreted was a signal from the Frenchman.
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The latest announcement by the ATP has left the tennis world divided.
Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios said on social media that he ‘completely disagreed’ with the move.
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“Loses one of the only unique traits that no other sport had,” he said.
“The player had to figure out things on his own. That was the beauty of it.
“What happens if a high profile player versus a low ranked player who doesn’t have or afford a coach?”
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When the change comes into effect, the US Open will be the first Grand Slam, a concept introduced by Wimbledon in 1877, in which coaches will be allowed to converse with players mid-match.
