What are the ‘weird’ new coaching pods in use at the Australian Open?

Andy Murray’s appointment as Novak Djokovic’s coach has taken the tennis world by storm at the Australian Open - just as a new innovation will allow fans to see and hear interactions between players and their teams like never before.

The Australian Open has unveiled court-side ‘coaching pods’ at this year’s tournament, in what is also a first for tennis at the grand slams. The new areas allow players to have up to four members of their support staff sit directly at court level, situated at opposite corners of the court.

The new ‘coaching pods’ will not completely replace the traditional boxes where the players’ support teams, as well as friends, family and wider entourage, can watch their matches from higher up in the stands. Players can ask their teams to sit in the boxes if they want, but Djokovic has said that Murray will join him on the court.

The former rivals, who met in four Australian Open finals, are working together at a tournament for the first time as Djokovic bids to win a record 25th grand slam title in Melbourne. Murray has already said that he is prepared to face the full force of Djokovic’s frustrations, if the Serbian wishes to vent in his direction during stressful moments.

“I think it’s great that the Australian Open introduced the coaching box on the court at the same level in the corner,” said Djokovic, who faces American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy in his opening match on Monday. “That’s where Andy and the coaching staff will sit.”

The ‘coaching pods’ include screens which allow coaches to access real-time match data and statistics. In-game coaching has been allowed in tennis since the 2022 US Open, somewhat controversially for a sport that used to pride itself in players having to work out tactical battles for themselves.

Not all players utilised the coaching dugout on the opening day of the tournament on Sunday. Men’s World No 2 Alexander Zverev had his coaches, father Alexander Sr and brother Mischa, sat in the pods at court-level during his opening win over Lucas Pouille, but Aryna Sabalenka had her team sit in the players’ box in the stands.

The defending champion explained that she did not want some of her team sat at court-level and other people in her support network positioned elsewhere, and her opinion was similarly echoed by the men’s World No 12 Stefanos Tsitsipas.

“I actually laughed when I saw them,” he said. “I don’t know, it’s kind of weird. I see my coaches and some other team members in that particular box, and the rest of them are upstairs, which I’m not used to. I guess I will acclimatise at some point.”

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley admitted some coaches were “sceptical” about the new on-court areas but added that he expects to see most players opting to use them during the grand slam.

“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.

“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.

“We think they 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.”