"Benefits Carlos Alcaraz more than any other player";"This is terrible" - Fans outraged over Australian Open 2025 adopting 'ridiculous' coaching pods

The 2025 Australian Open has adopted special coaching pods, which has left fans outraged over the perceived advantage for players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Many fans have raised complaints that the new setup undermines the sport's unique tradition of making players figure out strategies on their own.

Tournament director Craig Tiley announced the decision to implement the new pods, which are positioned at the court level in two corners of the three main show courts. Each pod can accommodate four members of a player's team.

In an interview with The Age, Tiley expressed enthusiasm about adding a fresh element to the sport and highlighted that players now had the opportunity to communicate with their coaches and gain insights after every point if they chose.

"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.

However, the decision has not gone down well with tennis fans on social media. Several of them asserted that the new setup heavily benefitted Carlos Alcaraz, since the Spaniard has previously come under fire for his constant chatter with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, while another fan pointed out that Coco Gauff had a similar tendency to consult her player's box during matches.

"This benefits Alcaraz more than any other player," one fan posted.

"Carlos Alcaraz and JCF are salivating over this," another fan chimed in.

"Coco is notorious for talking to her coaches and family in their box," said another.

Fans expressed their frustration over the growing trend of younger players having it "easier" compared to older generations. One fan bemoaned that the "ridiculous" change seemed timed to hurt Novak Djokovic's chances of winning another Grand Slam title, coming after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's retirements.

"Ridiculous. Anything to stop Djokovic from winning another grand slam. Funny how they start this only after Nadal and Federer retire," a fan argued.

"They are ruining this sport. Making everything so easy for the new generation, next they will reduce the slams to best of three and that will be the end," another fan contended.

Others voiced concern that the move towards constant coaching signaled the "death" of tennis, while one fan highlighted the "unfair advantage" that higher-ranked players who could afford the best coaches would have, citing Jannik Sinner's coach Darren Cahill as an example.

"There is a reason coaching was outlawed in the sport for so long. No one wants to see a player being given an unfair advantage via a third party. Either a player wins on his own or it clearly becomes a who has the better coach type of scenario," a fan wrote.

"Yeah, thats what Tennis needed. Point by point coaching. Clowns," another fan chimed in.

"And so the real tennis slowly dies," one fan remarked.

"This is terrible and a huge advantage to the best players who can afford the best coaches. Darren Cahill handles data like this like no other, and so when Sinner is playing a low ranked player who can't afford a Cahill, it's no longer a fair match," said yet another.

"It's really helpful to give my 100% on the court" - Carlos Alcaraz on 'needing' coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's advice during matches

Carlos Alcaraz with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero - Source: Getty

Tennis fans may have a point in their concerns about the new Australian Open coaching pods benefitting Carlos Alcaraz, since the World No. 3 has been open about how crucial it was for him to have his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, present in his player's box.

During his victorious run at the 2024 French Open, Alcaraz disclosed how Ferroro's valuable advice during matches helped him deliver his best effort on the court.

"Six years now, a lot of things happen between us in the professional part and the personal part but I need him in the box. I need everything he tell me from the box and it's really helpful to give my 100% on the court," Carlos Alcaraz said.

With his sights set on completing the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open, Carlos Alcaraz will kick off his highly anticipated campaign against Alexander Shevchenko in the first round.