MADRID OPEN STAR CALLS FOR 'FULL-CONTACT FIGHTING' TO BE ALLOWED ON TENNIS COURT

Alexander Bublik has come up with an interesting but unlikely idea to increase entertainment for tennis fans by suggesting coaches should fight each other during changeovers. The Kazakhstani player was in mischievous mood ahead of his opening match at the Madrid Open on Friday, and left reporters shocked in his post-practice press conference.

Expressing a desire to see coaches more actively involved in matches, he reportedly said: "I think during changeover they should come down, the rival coaches come down on the court, and fight each other for a minute, you know, full-contact. Keeps momentum going for the crowd, sort of."

Under current regulations, conversations during matches between players and coaches are still not permitted. However, coaching with restrictions is now permitted following alterations introduced for the 2022 US Open.

Coaches are permitted to offer brief verbal instructions and provide guidance through gestures. However, they are still forbidden from having a conversation with their players during breaks in play, or when players visit the bathroom.

It wasn't the only far-fetched idea pitched by the 26-year-old, who also insisted that mixed doubles matches signified the only tennis he bothered watching. And he argued that involving 'ball kids' would spice up singles action.

He said: "Ideally they play mixed singles, like, where ball kid swaps in for to save break points, you know? "But they don't promote it much on Tennis TV. So I watch mixed doubles, really, only way to make tennis interesting for me."

Bublik's suggestions are unlikely to turn the heads of the authorities, but it did at least depict the 26-year-old in a relaxed mood ahead of his final-64 game in the Spanish capital. His opponent is yet to be confirmed, with the player seeded 17th for the tournament.

Bublik is currently ranked at a career-high world No.18, having made huge strides in 2023. He reached the last-16 stage at Wimbledon before losing to Andrey Rublev, his best showing at a Grand Slam event.

He also won both the Halle Open in Germany and the European Open in Belgium, and in February this year added a second Open Sud de France crown. His latest comments won't serve to endear him to the authorities, but the star has developed a reputation for being jovial with the media and engaging positively with fans.

2024-04-25T09:01:38Z dg43tfdfdgfd