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“It’s What Sets Apart”: Doubles Tennis Legend Disagrees with Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Suggestive Rule Change

Published 07/22/2021, 7:10 AM EDT

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World No. 4, Stefanos Tsitsipas, has been making front-page headlines, with both his on-court display and his off-court shenanigans. He’s been at the heart of the action, ever since the Roland Garros finals. However, in recent news, the Greek international was once again a part of the action, this time with an agenda at stake.

Stefanos had an eventful time at the 2021 Hamburg Open. Playing in the quarter-final round against Filip Krajinovic, the 22-year-old did not just break his racquet but was also handed a code violation for receiving coaching from his box during the game. Frustrated by the decision, the Greek was vocal about his opinion on the fine and made his feelings heard.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas recently took to his Twitter, expressing his thoughts about a change in the rulebook. He demanded on-court coaching to be made legal as he believes it is a much-needed step forward for the sport. While some agreed with the youngster’s idea, many did not receive it well.

Former Australian tennis star Todd Woodbridge disagreed with the Greek’s comments, as he believes the ancient practice makes the sport unique. “I have to disagree with Tsitsipas,” Todd said.

Watch this story: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Gael Monfils, and Others with best shots at Wimbledon Championships 2021

“It comes down to how good you are”- Todd Woodbridge

The 16-time mens’ doubles Grand Slam champion believes the individuality of the game differentiates tennis from every other sport. Hence, he disagrees with Stefanos, despite empathizing with him. He said, “I can understand where he’s coming from, but the individuality of the sport is what sets it apart. The uniqueness of having to find your own way out of an issue. You’re out there on your own and it comes down to how good you are at making a change to alter the outcome.”

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The Australian legend also expressed his surprise at the Greek’s suggestion. He understands the thought but believes that Stefanos is exceptional enough to not need a change to help his game. “He obviously feels like he needs it, which for me is a bit of a surprise. I think Stef has one of those games that can recognise the strengths and weaknesses of his opponent and break those down,” Todd said. “I think he would benefit from having more faith in his own ability, rather than having someone confirm it for him.” 

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Nick Kyrgios disagrees with Stefanos Tsitsipas

Among those who disapproved of Stefanos’ proposed idea was another Australian star, Nick Kyrgios. Despite the brotherhood shared between the two, Nick does not share the same ideology as his tennis peer. In fact, the player who takes on the court all by himself without a coach believes the idea is terrible.

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However, Stefanos will soon be in action again at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. As the youngster goes for gold, he is sure to spark some kind of drama, either through his racket or through his tweets. Regardless, thorough entertainment is promised.

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Written by:

Melroy Fernandes

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Melroy Joseph Fernandes is a Tennis author at EssentiallySports. A Mass Media graduate, Melroy has been a content writer for the past 6 years, curating stories for several brands, starting from his own. At the age of 17, Melroy began his writing Journey with Team BIB, an event management company for everything Art and Entertainment.
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