Female tennis players will be allowed to consult with their coaches during matches from 2009, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) announced on Friday.

The rule change was approved by the Tour's board last week, CEO Larry Scott said during the US Open.

Coaches will be allowed to visit their players once per set, and only during the allotted changeover time. They can also come on court when the opponent takes a medical break.

But the on-court coaching is limited to WTA Tour events and doesn't include Grand Slams, Scott said.

Scott also announced several other changes to the Tour calendar and tournament structure.

The season will end in October, increasing the off-season break time to nine weeks from seven in a bid to reduce injuries.

"The healthier calendar is for me probably the most important long-term aspect of what we're doing," Scott added.

And, for the first time, top-10 players who miss any of Tour's nine top tournaments could be suspended.

Players would avoid suspension as long as they make a promotional appearance in the tournament city, either during the event or at a later date.

If a suspension were to occur, it would be for two tournaments the following year. Players will be automatically penalised in their rankings and earnings for skipping big events.