By Spiro Zavos
June 5th 2009 @ 12:59am
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Sharapova shut up! Tennis grunting is cheating
Russia's Maria Sharapova returns the ball to Belgium's Justine Henin - AP Photo/Rick Stevens
Finally, a tennis great has said what everyone who has suffered through those awful grunting matches between women tennis players thinks: it’s cheating.
Martina Navratilova, arguably the greatest woman tennis player of all with eighteen grand slam singles titles, has told the ITF’s Philippe Chatrier Award dinner that “the grunting has reached an unacceptable level. It is cheating, pure and simple. It is time for something to be done.”
Navratilova made the point that “Roger Federer doesn’t make a noise when he hits the ball – go and listen.”
Grunting started, Navratilova claims, with Monica Seles.
It was done to mask the sound of the ball hitting the racquet. As sound is one of the clues, and an important one, about the velocity of the returned ball, the grunting worked to stop the clue being presented to the opponent.
“I couldn’t hear the ball … I had to say something in the end,” Navratilova told her audience.
Watching the French Open when some of the women are playing has become an unbearable experience. Talk about aural pollution!
Complaints have been made one or two of the players, but the officials have gone to water on the problem.
The rules are clear enough. If the grunting is so obtrusive that it disadvantages the opposing player, then it can be ruled out of play.
I equate the grunting problem with swimming’s refusal to do anything about the hi-tech swim suits which allowed some competitors to have an unfair advantage over those not wearing the suits.
The swimming authorities have finally laid down regulations that allow everyone to swim in the same pool, as it were. It’s time now for the tennis authorities to listen to warnings from one of the greats of the game and stop the grunting now.
Otherwise viewers are going to be turned off watching women’s tennis.
What was once a thing of beauty and elegant power is now turning into a grunting match more in line with behaviour in a zoo than a tennis contest.
Maria Sharapova and all the other grunters – just shut up!
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Dushan said | June 5th 2009 @ 4:00am | Report comment
Sharapova rules and only losers who can’t beat her can complain about it….And speaking of Martina, she just feels powerless cos she is out of tennis and is down in the dumps that time passed her by
Reznik said | August 23rd 2009 @ 2:15pm | Report comment
Dushan, you are an ugly loser, scccceeeettchhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
mcxd said | June 5th 2009 @ 6:03am | Report comment
here here Spiro. i cant stand watching the game if she plays. its a disgrace she gets away with it.
Brett McKay said | June 5th 2009 @ 8:52am | Report comment
Spot on Spiro, and it was interesting and heartening to hear Martina’s comments. I don’t think anyone minds an audible “effort” grunt every now and again, but the womens game has become unbearable. And don’t worry about “viewers are going to be turned off “, that’s already been happening for years. For me, it was the Williams brothers that killed it as a spectacle. How anyone can “inadvertantly” let out the same blood-curdling shreik for a soft volley as they would a baseline shot is just beyond me..
joeb said | June 5th 2009 @ 1:14pm | Report comment
A mandatory gag or muzzle comes to mind for Ms Sharapova, as perhaps it should for the Williams twins as well. Unfortunately it reached the stage of having to turn the sound off some time ago, perhaps as far back as when a certain brat was on the circuit. Hear, hear for Martina’s timely reminder, and to think Seles could be so conniving!
“Navratilova made the point that “Roger Federer doesn’t make a noise when he hits the ball – go and listen.””
True, but to sob the way he did when he went down to the Spaniard in the Oz Open earlier this year is surely the epitome of poor sportsmanship as well, i.e., “I deserve it more than him, cos, cos,… I’m Roger the invincible.”
Hope the schmuck loses in the French.
Jameswm said | June 5th 2009 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
It’s not just cheating – it turns you off.
I don’t understand why they don’t do anything about it. Then again, I don’t know whyfootball doesn’t use video replays for off-sides and balls crossing the line, have tribunal reviews of matches etc…
Chop said | June 5th 2009 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
Joeb,
I bet you’re the kind of guy who sticks hot chips to the inside of your windscreen and watches seagulls knock themselves out going for it….
I don’t think Federer has EVER said he deserves it more. In fact he’s one of the most humble guys in sport in my opinion.
Hemjay said | June 5th 2009 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
If thats what shes like on the court imagine what she’s like in the bedroom
I have to agree there’s just no need for it. I see some so called experts are saying its the expultion of air or something stupid like that from the force of hitting the ball.
As for the chips thing Chop that is pretty funny
Benjamin Conkey said | June 5th 2009 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Last night Kutsnetsova was consistent with her groundstrokes but inconsistent with her shrieking. I swear half the time they don’t even know they’re doing it or not doing it. It just turns into a habit. It could be eradicated as you said Spiro if they started taking points away. But then there would be even more shrieking directed at the umpire!
joeb said | June 5th 2009 @ 2:37pm | Report comment
“I bet you’re the kind of guy who sticks hot chips to the inside of your windscreen and watches seagulls knock themselves out going for it….” — Chop
No! That’s the sort of thing Goebbels and Mengele would get up to. Not me.
“It could be eradicated as you said Spiro if they started taking points away.”
Spot on Benje & Spiro.
Jimbo said | June 5th 2009 @ 2:41pm | Report comment
I don’t watch Sharapova – it’s too annoying.
I watched last night’s game between Sam Stosur and Svetlana Kuznetsova. On the most important games Kuznetsova was her loudest. There were points whe she made no noise at all.
Strangely, when she was her loudest she didn’t necessarily hit it hardest -as shown by her serve speed. It has to be ruled out. Coaches will then stop teaching it.
Chop said | June 5th 2009 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
It was tongue firmly in cheek Joeb….
I agree it should go but actually implementing that is a completely different matter.
There should be a differentiation between a grunt and the screams that I think are the issue where it’s so loud you can’t hear the ball off the racquet.
I’ve been trying to dig up a very good article I read when Monica Seles was around and getting criticised for her screaming. She described like the martial arts guys with their screaming at the moment of impact.
Pippinu said | June 5th 2009 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
At this point, would I attract undue attention if I were to admit that I don’t mind Sharap’s grunting…
Chop said | June 5th 2009 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Is that because you have nasty thoughts about it pip? hehehehe
OK seriously I can’t stand it, she’s awesome to look at and I do think she’s a good player as well as being exceptionally easy on the eye, but I turn the sound down when watching her.
Brett McKay said | June 5th 2009 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
Pip, only if you said you liked Sharapova’s grunting but still hate Manuka Oval
sheek said | June 5th 2009 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
I think it was actor Peter Ustinov who said he wouldn’t want to be next door on Monica Seles’ wedding night.
I don’t know, all this female grunting is giving me ideas……….
ohtani's jacket, said | June 5th 2009 @ 6:51pm | Report comment
Ha, Spiro writes this column every year.
Dushan said | June 6th 2009 @ 5:26am | Report comment
People, you are annoying and jealous of her!!!
She is the best tennis player and if she grunts, that’s her problem not yours….Go MARIA!!!!
Love from SERBIA
Craig said | June 6th 2009 @ 6:10am | Report comment
I think its an important part of the game. sharapova is amazing and if she wants to grunt we should let her. I think when you watch tennis matches when know players are grunting it feels as if something is missing, it just doesnt see mright. everyone is complaining and threatening to stop watchin if the grunts continue, this is mainy the older more traditional of the viewers. Youngsters and more modern viewers think it adds intensity. If it was taken away the youngsters would lose interest and the womens game would suffer. We need to keep the young viewers interested as they will help the longjevity of tennis and the woman’s tour. I think navratilova should indeed- just shut up.
Ella said | June 6th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment
Hi. I think Maria’s too loud. She’s a lioness in a zoo and cheating.
DaniE said | June 6th 2009 @ 6:04pm | Report comment
Craig, to be honest I don’t know of many people – young or old – who are interested in women’s tennis all that much at all. Sharapova’s shrieking, if anything, turns more people off the game. I’m really not convinced of your logic there!
hammer said | June 6th 2009 @ 8:51pm | Report comment
Really if you’ve got nothing worthwhile to write about – don’y bother
the answer is simple zavos turn the volume down .. she’s not only one and having watched the mens semi’s last night Gonzalas likes a grunt … but of course Navratilova won’t be interested in him and neither would you because womans tennis is an easy target …. or womens sport fullstop
eric said | June 9th 2009 @ 9:17am | Report comment
Imagine if the crowd all grunted as the player started to serve. Not just the sharp grunt, but the extended half grunt, half sigh that we hear now. The umpire would be busy with his merci barcoo then!
Craig said | June 10th 2009 @ 11:11pm | Report comment
DaniE alot of people are interested in the women’s game or it couldnt possible exist, why would companies such as sony erricson sposnor the WTA if it was not a popular sport. give it another year or so and it will be as popular as the mens game for sure.
Sharapova RULES!
Strange Though said | June 11th 2009 @ 9:37am | Report comment
Strange… If screaming is cheating than I believe most players would be disqualified. I think what is more important is the verbal abuse that is incurred in multiple languages. At this point, one can’t curse in the language of the ‘chairs’ or that of the fans, but any other seems fine. Wierd… Also, is screaming is so bad, than most at point of ‘pleasure’ would be faking it. Ok, I agree that was a low blow. Finally if rules are to be followed, the crowd should be quite throughout the point, and as we all know that almost never happens.
Well, I think this is just another Sharapova-hater!!!
Phil said | September 2nd 2009 @ 10:51am | Report comment
Thank you Ms. Navratalova for your stand against grunting. Too bad many of your colleagues and tennis officials are too accepting of such unsportmanslike behavior by these grunters. Fans should no longer be polite to these arrogant grunters; they should gather together in groups of 10-15 people, sit as close to the court as possible, then perform a group grunt just before the Azarenka’s, Sharapova’s, Williams’ et al get ready to hit. Maybe then they will understand how distracting, irritating and unsportsmanlike their behavior is.
Mary Percy said | September 16th 2009 @ 12:48pm | Report comment
I gave up on women’s tennis when Sharapova brought her “grunt” to the game. Her coach said she’s been doing it from the age of eleven. If that’s not cheating, I don’t know what is. I remember a match where she was warned about code of conduct and — surprise, surprise — not another sound out of her. I could cope with Seles and even Serena, but not that scream which is almost equivalent to a jet taking off.
What appalled me was a photo in last week’s paper of a four-year-old whose father has taken her to the USA for tennis coaching (obviously we don’t know anything about the game here). People were worrying about the fact that she is only four and has that much pressure on her. My problem with the photo is not her age, but the fact that she is obviously screaming very loudly.
Make ‘em play on grass (preferably Mildura): they’ll have to concentrate more and maybe, just maybe, not screech any more.
vee14 said | November 20th 2009 @ 12:05am | Report comment
Gosh. if you dont like the grunting then don’t watch it go watch some other tennis player, leave maria sharapova alone, she is a great tennis player even though shes not doing so well right now but so what if thats how she plays then thats how she plays. If people can’t stand the grunting then why do they come and watch the person play, they could just leave the stands if they wanted to but they don’t.