Courtside advice: a guide to Flavio Cobolli's coaching box

First, separate the job from the seat

Stefano's work predates the current coaching rules. In a December 11, 2019 SuperTennis interview, he described tactical preparation and reviewing Flavio's matches point by point. That is coaching done outside a live match: building a plan, identifying patterns and deciding what needs practice. Sitting beside the court is only one part of the job.

That distinction prevents a common misunderstanding. A commentator saying that a player has a coach does not mean the coach may interrupt a rally, enter the playing area or deliver an unlimited stream of instructions. Preparation and permission are separate matters. The rulebook governs the latter.

The permission comes with short, practical limits

I checked both the 2026 ATP rulebook and the ITF rules rather than assuming that a familiar camera shot reveals what is allowed. For ATP Tour and Challenger matches, the designated coaching seats matter. Verbal advice is allowed when player and coach are at the same end of the court, and it must be a few words or short phrases rather than a conversation. Hand signals are permitted, but advice must not interrupt play or hinder the opponent.

• Between points: permitted advice must be brief and discreet, subject to the event’s rules.
• During a point: no coaching. The player has to choose and execute the next shot.
• Across the court: the permission for hand signals does not mean a coach may shout a conversation from the opposite end.
• When the player leaves the court: ATP conditions prohibit the coach from speaking to the player.

The first two limits come from Rule 30 and Appendix IV; the location and conversation restrictions are specified in the ATP code. Longer discussion is allowed in certain approved interruptions while players remain on court. That exception does not turn every ordinary pause into an open-ended conference.

Imagine a permitted, brief reminder to adjust a return position. The player still has to decide whether the next serve calls for that adjustment, move there and make contact. This is an illustration of the rules, not a claim about an instruction Stefano actually gave. Advice can frame a choice. It cannot play the shot.

Off-court does not mean far away

The wording can be confusing. The ITF’s October 17, 2024 explanation says the revised rule took effect on January 1, 2025 after coaching trials that began in 2017. It permits the relevant sanctioning body to allow off-court coaching; it does not grant unrestricted advice at every competition. On-court coaching by a seated captain remains a separate provision for team events.

A coach can also be physically close without being on the playing court. At the 2025 Australian Open, optional corner pods accommodated up to four team members and included screens with real-time statistics. The Australian Open’s January 16 account described Mirra Andreeva approaching coach Conchita Martinez when she wanted advice and staying away when she wanted quiet. That example explains the setup, not Cobolli's use of it.

A nearby seat therefore gives access, not an obligation to talk. We cannot identify the content of advice from a nod, a hand movement or an edited reaction shot alone. Unless audible words or a reliable account establish it, the precise instruction remains unknown.

A father can still be a father

There is a charming continuity outside the regulations. The ATP biography records that Flavio defeated Stan Wawrinka in Shanghai in 2024, 21 years after Stefano beat the same opponent at the Brindisi Challenger. Different tournaments, different stages of their careers, one unusually good family comparison.

I think that is a better detail to carry away than an imagined secret code in the coaching box. The father brings preparation and encouragement. The son makes the decisions once the point begins. Understanding both roles makes the small exchanges more interesting without pretending that we know what was said.