Aus Open: Aryna Sabalenka decides against using coaching pod

Back-to-back Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka has expressed reservations about a new addition to the tournament.

Reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka says she won’t use the new coaching pods introduced at Melbourne Park unless they can accommodate her full team.

The Belarusian star said the Australian Open’s courtside innovation did not interest her as she opted against having any team members at court level during her first-round win over Sloane Stephens.

The pods were brought in after the International Tennis Federation announced in October it was ending an eight-year trial and allowing “brief and discreet” coaching at all ATP and WTA matches.

The move was immediately criticised by men’s world No. 4 Taylor Fritz, who said it was “ruining the ‘1 v 1’ mental and strategic aspect of the sport”.

Aryna Sabalenka comfortably beat American rival Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2 in her first-round clash at the Australian Open on Sunday night. Picture: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images

Sabalenka, who has prospered for the last few years alongside a steady support staff led by head coach Anton Dubrov, said she was “not a big fan” of the pods unless they were expanded in size.

“Honestly, it’s not like I’m a big fan of that decision. Or if you do that, then make more seats,” she said after the emphatic 6-3, 6-2 win over Stephens.

“For example, me personally, I like to see the whole team. I want to see the whole people in my box. Even if I’m not looking at each person in my box, I always look at my coach, but I still see everyone. For me that’s important.

Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin’s father Alexander (left) was in the new courtside coach pod during her loss to Coco Gauff on Monday. Picture: David Gray / AFP

“I don’t know, sometimes I just want to look at my boyfriend for the support, for example. I just didn’t want to, like, look at the coach first, then look in the box because I have a lot of coaches. Four seats is not enough!

“If they would make it to eight seats, I don’t know how, but it would be much better for me. So we decided to put everyone in the box. Maybe they were kind of like tight there and not comfortable, but I was comfortable to see all of them.”

Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin was among the players to have their coaches in the pod during the first round, taking instructions from her coach and father Alexander in between games during her straight sets defeat to fellow American Coco Gauff.

Originally published as Aus Open: Aryna Sabalenka decides against using coaching pod