Tommy Paul calls out a bizarre tennis tradition — Is it time to change?

Despite tennis being a sport that holds tightly to its traditions, the game has seen quite a few changes in recent years.

Electronic line calling is now standard across the tour, and even Wimbledon, which traditionally resisted such technology, has now moved away from line judges after more than 140 years.

The ATP and WTA have also adjusted their rules to allow on-court coaching, something players had been requesting for a while.

Changes in court speed throughout 2025 have stirred up plenty of debate among players and fans. Now Tommy Paul is hoping his idea will be the next one adopted by organisers.

The world No. 12 explained why he believes mid-match coaching should be stopped during a press conference earlier this year.

Tommy Paul calls for an end to runner-up speeches

Speaking to Tennis Majors, Paul said: “I don’t think finalists should get trophies and have to do the whole stand up on the mic and talk to anybody. I don’t know many sports that do that.”

Paul had made his way through a tough draw, including wins over Alex de Minaur and Daniel Altmaier, but ultimately lost in three sets.

According to Paul, it’s not just the rules that have changed, but also the way players approach the game on the men’s tour.

He explained: “Everyone is playing so good out of the corners now. The way that players can neutralize points, go from a defensive position to basically a neutral ball, it’s unbelievable.

Paul will open his French Open campaign against Rinky Hijikata on Monday. That match is scheduled for Court 14 at 10:00 am BST (UK Time).

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