Tennis has descended into farce as a result of inactivity by the sport’s authorities.
The lack of desire to quell the ever increasing grunting, shrieking and squealing by players has turned a lot of people off the sport.
Rather than stepping in when the problem first emerged in the days of Jimmy Connors and Monica Seles, tennis administrators allowed the problem to blossom.
Instead of stopping the snowball before it gathered pace, authorities stood by and watched it hurtle down the mountain side to a point where it is now a giant blight on the sport.
Once again, crowds at the Australian Open and those watching on TV screens around the globe are being ‘treated’ to absurd levels of player generated noise.
And most likely fans will be exposed to it through the remaining grand slams in 2018 and beyond.
In January 2003, I was commentating on the Hopman Cup in Perth for ABC Television.
Serena Williams was representing the United States that year and it was fascinating to watch her early morning training sessions where she would go through various drills before playing a full practice set against local Perth pro, Mark Hlawaty.
Serena was striking the ball every bit as hard as she did in a match – running from side to side, straining and stretching – and doing it all with barely a sound.
A few hours later she took the court in earnest and she was a totally different player.
( The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images )
The same effort and power was evident but this time it was allied to high decibel grunting and screeching.
It was not the only time I witnessed such chameleon-like changes from some of the world’s top players.
So why do they undergo this transformation?
All-time great, Martina Navratilova has always steadfastly maintained that it is simply a form of cheating.
She says the noise generated by players drowns out the sound of the ball leaving their racquet and as such removes an important cue as to the force and spin that has been imparted on the ball.
It is one of the quirks of the sport at the highest level that the audience is instructed to maintain silence while a point is in progress yet there is no such codicil placed on the participants.
The issue of grunting is having a significant impact on how many view the sport.
It came to the fore again on Tuesday when Australian Ash Barty took on Belarussian Aryna Sabalenka in the first round at Melbourne Park.
Much of Sabalenka’s ear piercing screeches emanated after the ball had left her racquet, which flies in the face of the argument by defenders of the grunt that it is due to the effort being put into playing the shot. Numerous players still squeal even when playing delicate drop shots.
Social media was awash with comments from those who found Sabalenka’s actions over the top. Many voted with their remotes – either muting their television or simply switching channels.
The Herald Sun conducted an online poll, asking whether Sabalenka’s grunting had gone too far? There were 5,400 respondents with 95 per cent saying it did.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Yet, again, it is unlikely that those that run the sport will make any changes to the rules. Surely they should be paying heed to those who support it.
People are switching off due to the ridiculousness of some players’ behaviour.
The best thing that the sport’s governors could do is phase in rules that will see players revert to the days of old where they performed in relative silence.
Either that or let the fans loose and allow them to hoot and holler during points.
The authorities should put players on notice that the rules will be changed, just as golf did when it alerted players that broomstick putters would be outlawed.
Currently, the chair umpire can impose a point penalty if they believe a player has hindered their opponent.
That rule never sees the light of day when it comes to the audible carry on akin to Sabalenka the other day.
If the authorities truly cared about the sport’s image they would draw a line in the sand.
Give a date in the future – perhaps 1 January – where action will be taken against those players who continue to be a blight on the sport.
A warning, followed by loss of a point, then game and ultimately the match for those who refuse to comply.
Surely, over the next 11 months players would be able to modify their actions.
Because, as it currently stands, most of them can practice at match intensity with little, if any, sound.
Carrying that approach into actual match play cannot be that difficult with sufficient warning.
If not, fans will continue to seek alternative forms of entertainment.
marilyn
Guest
I turn the audio off when tennis players are screaming, grunting, etc. Miss out on a lot of commentary, but it is worth it.
Leonard
Guest
Or puppies, but without the arrogance and 'up yours' additood.
Pea Greenish
Guest
Well said. Like teaching a toddler about hot things and bitey things . . . "Do not screech and you will not be penalised or financially disadvantaged".
Pea Greenish
Guest
I had to buy a new remote, seriously, because I wore out the mute button. I no longer watch tennis after years of enjoyment. Nobody needs or wants to be subjected to that stupid screeching. Ban it.
double agent
Guest
WTA could stop it in one match. Probably one game. The server screeches - automatic fault. Any screech equals point to the opponent. It would stop immediately. WTA unfortunately are like every bureaucratic organisation in the world. Totally lacking in guts and obsessed with irrelevant details.
1st&10
Guest
Agreed and she later released an album Monica Seles - Grunt A Go Go
Fionn
Guest
So Warren, number 5 in the world and making a French Open final is 'average'? Okay champ. It's interesting that you say that. I know plenty of extremely senior coaches in Australia and even some abroad, as well as top Australia juniors who thinks that he is excellent and funny. Thankfully, your opinion on this is meaningless and he will remain a commentator.
Warren Schofield
Guest
I thought the entertainment was the tennis - not the idiot commentators.
Slane
Guest
Every other sport on the planet doesn't need to hear the ref/umps call? Give the umpire a whistle, gove the linesman a flag and be done with it.
Warren Schofield
Guest
Just watched Halep and Davis - Halep another screamer, had to mute!!
Warren Schofield
Guest
An average tennis player pretending to be a comedian??? I think it's an embarrassment
Warren Schofield
Guest
I agree about the standard of commentary - but Leconte is still a wanker!
Leonard
Guest
Agree with [but with caveats] not "everything [nor everyone] needs to be serious [all the time]. People need to lighten up". Richie Beneaud and Dennis Cometti were two such champ in the 7 / 9 media box, as was Kerry O'Keeffe on the ABC (most of the time). But the core has to be about tennis (or whatever sport) - they are not stand-up (sit-down) comedians (and doesn't it show!). Another gold standard: FA 'Match of the Day' telecasts in the 1970s. Two remedial things are (i) to learn to shut TF up and that on occasions silence truly is golden, and (ii) FFS to stop telling us what we can see or have just seen (except, of course, for a relevant bit of interpretation) - how many more hundreds of times do we have to put up with our ears hearing 'What a brilliant catch / mark / corner / basket / mark / tackle / stumping by Psmith' while our eyes see it fluffed? Or 'Oooh! Djones has a broken neck / arm / back / leg - oh, no, sorry, he / she just got up and scored!' Suggested penalty: in their offseasons: compulsory listening to their worst nonsense on endless loops 8 hours a day for a number of days proportionate to their offences; worst cases to have their tapes interspersed with vox pop negative feedback! (For working model, see the re-education scenes in 'A Clockwork Orange'.)
Fionn
Guest
I agree with you, and I wish they would all cut down on it, but to a certain extent that's irrelevant, Maggie. The basic problem is that Sharapova's and Azarenka's grunts are more irritating for fans and the opponents than the deeper grunts of the Williams sisters, Nadal or Djokovic. The grunt coming from the latter is a deeper more natural sound that actually sounds like an exhale, the sound coming from Sharapova and the others is an unnatural shriek that is both more displeasing and discomforting to the fans and opponents. Another key difference is that Sharapova's shrieks tend to go on long after she hits the ball, often until the ball goes over the net or even until the opponent is about to make contact. This is what takes it into the category of gamesmanship or possibly even cheating if it distracts the opponent. Serena, Novak and Rafa tend to emit far shorter grunts. I wish the ATP/WTA/ITF would step in and find a way to limit it to reasonable levels in both the men's and women's game, but the shrieks emitted by players like Sharapova are both much more irritating and theoretically more prone to putting off the opponent then the grunts of the Nadals and the Williams sisters.
Fionn
Guest
Henri is good. He actually provides proper analysis if one bothers to listen to him. He just does it in a humorous way. Not everything needs to be serious. People need to lighten up.
ThisHasToEnd
Guest
Warren, have you heard some of the nonsense out of Jim Courier, Woodbridge, Basil Zempilas, Newc (whose modus operandi seems to be praising Federer at all times regardless of context and who is playing). Jim Courier is particularly guilty of spouting rubbish, sound bites and non sequiturs in place of actual analysis for nigh on 10 years now. Basil and the rest of the Channel 7 people just know nothing about tennis. What is Woodbridge even there to do? Most tennis players, coaches and casual fans I know love Henri's commentary and would take it over all of the rest. Henri Leconte, McEnroe, Darren Cahill and Hewitt are the only commentators they have on that consistently provide either entertainment or analysis. At least Bruce 'Stats' McAvaney isn't there this year.
Leonard
Guest
And "totally agree" that sacking (mainly for felony' stupidity) half the TV commentary squads in most sports would (i) improve our viewing experience, (ii) raise the IQ levels of each squad and (iii) save the networks heaps. Wonder whether the rate of worn-out mutes has soared in this century?
Maggie
Guest
Totally agree re Henri Lecont.
Warren Schofield
Guest
I agree with all of the above, and I also turned off Sharapova and Sabalenko playing as the noise was disgusting. Also channel 7 should get rid of that idiot Henri Lecont who sadly purports to be funny. It's a professional tournament and it doesn't need stupid idiotic commentary, it's cringe worthy!
Custard Cream
Roar Rookie
Or squash? Or badminton? Chess?