“I’m okay with it.. I think it can be a game-changer sometimes” – Medvedev

The world No 1 says the new on-court coaching rule has not led to a change in his approach with coach Gilles Cervara

Daniil Medvedev at the 2022 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati Image Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic

August 19, 2022

Daniil Medvedev, the world’s top-ranked tennis player, has revealed that he is okay with the new rule of on-court coaching, which the ATP Tour is implementing in the second half of this season on a trial basis.

While the experiment has been in progress for a few weeks on the men’s tour now, Medvedev says the new rules has not changed his approach with coach Gilles Cervara.

“For us, not, because — I mean, it can maybe one match, not yet, not yet, work because you know we work this way that we try to work a lot on practices, to talk, to see what we can do better; him in terms of exercise or telling me something, me in terms of playing and hitting the ball,” Medvedev said after beating Denis Shapovalov to reach the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Thursday.

“I don’t think on-court coaching tomorrow (against Fritz) is going to make a huge difference” – Medvedev

The Russian, who is now assured of being the top seed at the US Open later this month where he is the defending champion, added that while it may not always make a big difference, there could be matches where on-court coaching could play a crucial role in the outcome.

“During the match, I don’t really see how a coach can help, like in some other sports, there is tactics is so important. Here, I mean, when the tennis match is there, I guess it can be one match out of five where suddenly he’s going to be, like, Change your position on return, or, Go more to his backhand, if he sees it from the outside. So I think it can be a game-changer sometimes. In the same time, many matches is, let’s say I play Fritz tomorrow, it’s our first encounter, still, I know how he plays and he knows how I play. I don’t think on-court coaching tomorrow is going to make a huge difference. But in general, I’m okay with it, like I was never against it,” Medvedev added.

Meddy marches on 👍@DaniilMedwed comes through a spirited battle with Denis Shapovalov, 7-5 7-5 at #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/F1zEya3tvk
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 18, 2022