OTL on ESPN Excellent this morning on Grunting!

[gavna]

Great OTL on ESPN today with a story then panel discussion with P McEnroe, P Shriver, C Evert and B Gilbert on the grunting issue. They even went into some "other" player bad habits (Rafa picking his but and then whipes his nose and face).

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/...ration-players

[CCNM]

Well, I have a new respect for Agnes Radwanska. Also it looks like somebody finally convinced Martina N that it's ok to look feminine.

[Sentinel]

So the spectators can be asked to keep absolutely quiet lest they disturb the players ... a point often doesn't start unless the crowd quietens down... or if there's a plane flying above ...
... but the same player can make long grunts to distract the other player.

And the article doesn't address the fact that these players DO NOT GRUNT in practice.

[big ted]

theyre even grunting when their slicing the ball which is extra annoying. i think they should have a decibel rule moderate but not too strict for 2013, then gradually lower the allowed decibels each year gradually

[mikeler]

[quote=Sentinel;6682716]So the spectators can be asked to keep absolutely quiet lest they disturb the players ... a point often doesn't start unless the crowd quietens down... or if there's a plane flying above ...
... but the same player can make long grunts to distract the other player.

And the article doesn't address the fact that these players DO NOT GRUNT in practice.[/QUOTE]


Bingo, this is the point I have not seen brought up in any article yet.

[gavna]

[quote=mikeler;6683327]

Originally Posted by Sentinel

So the spectators can be asked to keep absolutely quiet lest they disturb the players ... a point often doesn't start unless the crowd quietens down... or if there's a plane flying above ...
... but the same player can make long grunts to distract the other player.

And the article doesn't address the fact that these players DO NOT GRUNT in practice.[/QUOTE]


Bingo, this is the point I have not seen brought up in any article yet.

I wish ESPN could allow a reply of the panel discussion or the whole OTL show.....Evert pointed out more than once many of the players are quiet in practice, namely Masha who is silent. But Azarenka grunts all the time. The show had a section where they showed how at IMG hey are teaching the Jrs to breathe differently and that some have stopped grunting completely. One girl said it took all of 5 min to change her technique and stop the grunting, Gilbert said she was one who you could hear 8 courts away enforce.

[heycal]

Originally Posted by gavna

Great OTL on ESPN today with a story then panel discussion with P McEnroe, P Shriver, C Evert and B Gilbert on the grunting issue. They even went into some "other" player bad habits (Rafa picking his but and then whipes his nose and face).

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/...ration-players

Where was the part about the other bad habits? I watched what I thought was the whole thing, some 6 minutes long, and there was no mention of anything but grunting.

[gavna]

Originally Posted by heycal

Where was the part about the other bad habits? I watched what I thought was the whole thing, some 6 minutes long, and there was no mention of anything but grunting.

In the panel discussion that started about 14 or 15 min into the show - at one point Shriver said let's not forgot about "other" bad habits like....then they went to a clip of Nadal picking and digging into shorts and touching his face and hair...etc. Evert and especially Gilbert went off, Gilbert rocked forward almost off his chair and started clapping his hands in agreement and laughing. Maybe after the 16th or 18min?

[gavna]

Originally Posted by heycal

Where was the part about the other bad habits? I watched what I thought was the whole thing, some 6 minutes long, and there was no mention of anything but grunting.

The video ESPN is post as the "companion" piece is just the report and part of the interview with the WTA CEO.......you need to watch the complete OTL ( outside the lines) 30 min broadcast from ESPN, I assume they have a link or will reply it somewhere on thier site.

[heycal]

^^^
Thanks, I'll look for it.

[McPatrickClan]

Good watch- thanks for sharing!

[Larrysümmers]

grunting is okay, i dont mind. but excessive shrieking and moaning has to stop

[Mighty Matteo]

while their grunts are both very bad, i fell as if Azarenka's grunt is much more tolerable than Sharapova's because it is much less of a scream/shriek. Shrieking is completely unnecessary and imo is a form of gamesmanship. While I am a fan of Serena and Venus, their grunts also drive me nuts because they suddenly appear during matches as a form of intimidation. Perhaps the reason why I am most opposed to grunting is the fact that when 2 people start grunting during a match, it makes the match personal and nothing is worse than when a match gets personal. It becomes less about the tennis.

[Larrysümmers]

theres the grunting because im pushing my body to its physical limits. then there is the serena grunt on a drop volley!

[gavna]

Originally Posted by Larrysümmers

theres the grunting because im pushing my body to its physical limits. then there is the serena grunt on a drop volley!

I love the fact some players like Sharapova don't grunt / shriek in practice but get them on court and we get sound effects. Gilbert also brought up male players like Granollers who grunts loudly AFTER he hits the ball. His performance at RG was a perfect example, the more important the point the louder and more distracting he became. AND he shrieked after contact.

[Larrysümmers]

yeah in practice its different youre not playing a match for thousands of dollars and ranking points. if youve ever played at a high level or even a had fought match at a low level you'll know what i mean.

but i agree that grunting way after is annoying.

[SwankPeRFection]

Is it really grunting that these girls are doing?

It's interesting how it's a grunt on court, but a moan in bed. Ya, I said it.

[Sobonnk]

Here is the pod cast of the OTL panel about the grunting in tennis. Fast forward to about the 10min mark, if you already watched the video linked in the OP.

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=8121803

[BigGriff]

I couldn't even watch the Azarenka/Paszek match. I swear she grunts on volleys, serves, misses, everything... It's gotta be annoying to hear with the roof closed.

Martina N. and Radwanska were spot on.

[floridatennisdude]

I like how they asked the 13 y/o at Bolleteri about how long it took her to stop shrieking and just exhale.

"About 5 minutes"