Playing her first-round match at the United States Open on a damp side court Tuesday, the Paraguayan Verónica Cepede Royg was having a miserable time, dropping the first set to the American Nicole Gibbs at love. As Cepede struggled, she received running advice from her coach, Ramon Delgado, in the stands — a circumstance that was, technically, a rules violation.
That gray area, however, has become even grayer at this U.S. Open. Since 2009, coaches at WTA Tour events have been able to go on the court to instruct players during changeovers whenever the athlete requests a conference.