Aus Open - Things that annoyed me!

[sunflowerhx]

After 2 weeks of watching the Aus Open. There are things about both the
mens & womens game that annoy the hell out of me.

1. Time wasting between points. Why do most servers insist on choosing 2 out of 3 balls? They have the use of premium new balls that are constantly replaced. I really don't think there are any significant differences between the balls. I applaud players like Hingis that just gets a ball and serves without hesitation.

2. A returner like Hantuchova that turns her back to the server and makes heropponent wait. This is technically illegal as the server should dictate the
time between serves. Actually I remember Becker used to do this all the time by holding up his hand up and delaying the server. Bad sportsmanship!

3. Grunting, and yes in particular Sharapova. My argument is that there is absolutely no need for it and should be banned. It's acceptable if a player is really stretching for a ball but not for every stroke. Classy players like Clijsters and Hingis do not grunt and still play great tennis. I am sure Sharapova would not only save energy but have a fraction more time to prepare for shots if she shut her gob!

With all 3 points above, I suspect the fault lies with coaches who focus on the mental side of the game.

4. Spitting - Nicolas Kiefer. Absoluting disgusting, I felt sorry for the ball boy that was mopping up his sweat and spit between change overs.

I am from the UK, and we don't get much tennis on terrestrial tv apart from Wimbledon.
So forgive me if my comments seem trivial.

 

[Andres]

2. A returner like Hantuchova that turns her back to the server and makes heropponent wait. This is technically illegal as the server should dictate the
time between serves. Actually I remember Becker used to do this all the time by holding up his hand up and delaying the server. Bad sportsmanship!

You're wrong at this.
The server will serve when, (and WHEN ONLY) the returner is ready to recieve the serve.
The server can't dictate the time between serves.

 

[Deleted member 6835]

nonetheless i completely agree with sunflower. there's also one thing that made me sick.
as you all know, henin-hardenne had to retire in the 2nd set because she got sick, and the commentators on tsn (i live in canada so i watching it on tsn) criticized her for not suffering through it to give mauresmo her "moment." i mean, wat kind of ******** (excuse my language) is that?!?! ive gotten sick before and i had to retire, except i was playing in a big tourney against the #2 seed and i was unseeded. wat made it worse for me is i was actually up a break 4-3 in the 1st set, and i ended up losing it 6-4 because i had a bad stomach ache. my point is, if she cant play, she cant, mauresmo was obviously gonna win and we all know it, but saying someone has to stay in match when they cant play just for someone's moment? that made me so mad. but in all this, mauresmo went over and talked to henin-hardenne, and they seemed ok, mauresmo didnt even mind, she was just happy to finally win a grand slam. i was really temped to send some email or letter to tsn telling them to f**k off.

 

[slice bh compliment]

You're wrong at this.
The server will serve when, (and WHEN ONLY) the returner is ready to recieve the serve.
The server can't dictate the time between serves.

This is sort of a grey area, since there is also something in there about the returner having to play to the rhythm of the server.

Chair Umpire? Anyone?
I'd like to request the presence of the referee, please.

 

[Grimjack]

3. Grunting, and yes in particular Sharapova. My argument is that there is absolutely no need for it and should be banned. It's acceptable if a player is really stretching for a ball but not for every stroke. Classy players like Clijsters and Hingis do not grunt and still play great tennis. I am sure Sharapova would not only save energy but have a fraction more time to prepare for shots if she shut her gob!

Numerous studies over the years have shown conclusively that vocal outbursts -- whether they be grunts, shouts, whatever -- allow for greater generation of power in sports requiring explosive movements. Listen to the audio from the trenches in an NFL football game, or to an Olympic power-lifting competition, or to one of those martial arts board-and-brick-breaking type demonstrations. You'll hear vocal outbursts that would put the weak of heart into cardiac arrest.

Physically speaking, the same person is able to hit the ball harder when he or she grunts. "Classy" players are doing themselves a disservice. Your argument that there is no need for it and that it should be banned is ill-informed and smacks of the kind of sweater-vest, country club prudishness we've been trying to purge from the game for decades.

Grunt power!

 

[Don Felder]

Grim,

Better tell Roger to start grunting harder and louder. The man's doing himself a disservice. Wow.

 

[breakfast_of_champions]

i think roger might have a little more muscle than maria.

geez, thats what bothered you most, with all the poor line calls, keifer throwing his racquet, henins "no mas", injured seeds, and matches being played in the wee hours of the morning, usa time.

 

[nickybol]

Show us those studies!

 

[sureshs]

1. Time wasting between points. Why do most servers insist on choosing 2 out of 3 balls? They have the use of premium new balls that are constantly replaced. I really don't think there are any significant differences between the balls. I applaud players like Hingis that just gets a ball and serves without hesitation.

Hingis's serve is nothing to speak about. Nothing much at stake there. But for others, specially men, the fuzz condition of the ball seems to be an important factor.

2. A returner like Hantuchova that turns her back to the server and makes heropponent wait. This is technically illegal as the server should dictate the
time between serves. Actually I remember Becker used to do this all the time by holding up his hand up and delaying the server. Bad sportsmanship!


True, but if the server is trying to hurry the returner, it is justified.

3. Grunting, and yes in particular Sharapova. My argument is that there is absolutely no need for it and should be banned. It's acceptable if a player is really stretching for a ball but not for every stroke. Classy players like Clijsters and Hingis do not grunt and still play great tennis. I am sure Sharapova would not only save energy but have a fraction more time to prepare for shots if she shut her gob!

Grunting is irritating. But it does help the player exhale.

4. Spitting - Nicolas Kiefer. Absoluting disgusting, I felt sorry for the ball boy that was mopping up his sweat and spit between change overs.


He can stop throwing racquets at his opponent first.

 

[Rabbit]

You're wrong at this.
The server will serve when, (and WHEN ONLY) the returner is ready to recieve the serve.
The server can't dictate the time between serves.

You're nearly right. It is an interesting mix of the two.

WHEN TO SERVE & RECEIVE (OLD 12 & 30)​

The server shall not serve until the receiver is ready. However, the receiver shall play to the reasonable pace of the server and shall be ready to receive within a reasonable time of the server being ready.

A receiver who attempts to return the service shall be considered as being ready. If it is demonstrated that the receiver is not ready, the service cannot be called a fault.

Once again, there is just enough gray area here for the ump to screw it up.

 

[mesias]

tennis nerd22

Your post is quite funny. TSN didn't have any commentators on their broadcast of the Australian Open. Whatever they showed are feeds from ESPN & ESPN2, therefore any commentators you heard are from ESPN & ESTN2, i.e. Brad Gilbert, Pat MacE, Chris Fowler and their usual bunch.

I wonder what TSN thought when you told them to f**k off.

Sunflower, every tennis player I know have their own idiosyncrasies when they're playing. Tennis, afterall, is an individual sport and for that reason you would notice players exhibit their personalities.

 

[tom-selleck]

Your post is quite funny. TSN didn't have any commentators on their broadcast of the Australian Open. Whatever they showed are feeds from ESPN & ESPN2, therefore any commentators you heard are from ESPN & ESTN2, i.e. Brad Gilbert, Pat MacE, Chris Fowler and their usual bunch.

I wonder what TSN thought when you told them to f**k off.

Sunflower, every tennis player I know have their own idiosyncrasies when they're playing. Tennis, afterall, is an individual sport and for that reason you would notice players exhibit their personalities.

pretty sure it was brad gilbert. and at risk of being ripped myself, i agreed totally.

 

[GeauxTigers]

With regard to the 2 of 3 balls,

the servers at the tour level select the balls that are least worn (fuzzy) as they have the least drag, and therefore give them an extra mph on their serves.

 

[progman_2000]

After 2 weeks of watching the Aus Open. There are things about both the
mens & womens game that annoy the hell out of me.

1. Time wasting between points. Why do most servers insist on choosing 2 out of 3 balls? They have the use of premium new balls that are constantly replaced. I really don't think there are any significant differences between the balls. I applaud players like Hingis that just gets a ball and serves without hesitation.

2. A returner like Hantuchova that turns her back to the server and makes heropponent wait. This is technically illegal as the server should dictate the
time between serves. Actually I remember Becker used to do this all the time by holding up his hand up and delaying the server. Bad sportsmanship!

How long have you been playing and/or watching tennis? This is all part of tactic, establishing a rythym, denying your opponent rythm, dictating play, etc. all part of the immense mental part of the game. Any smart player, pro or otherwise, will do these things (within reason) to break their opponents rythm if necessary. Get yourself a Tivo and fast forward if it bugs you that much, but I imagine there is much to be learned from studying this stuff as well as their strokes.

I agree with the other poster, Keifer throwing the racquet and JHH bailing in 2nd set are much less forgiveable.

 

[tangoll]

grunting

If grunting really does help in explosive moments, I wonder why we seldom hear baseball pitchers or batters grunt? Surely, at the precise moment when a pitcher releases the ball, and at the split second that a batter swings his bat, is when they want maximum explosive power. And if grunting helps in that regard, then why hasn't grunting been used by pitchers and batters?

I suspect the answer is that any help that grunting affords is so infinitesimally small, that it's not really measureable or definable, and that grunting is purely a mental thing that helps certain players. Grunting during play is similar to so many people peppering their speaking with "...you know..., you know what I mean...". It's just a reflex action that adds little to the actual event or speech being made. With a little training, grunting and the "you knows" can be eliminated without loss of any function.

 

[Kaptain Karl]

The Pros have six balls from which to choose. I completely understand the Server wanting to have a choice among three.

Even though I'm only playing with three tennis balls (when all three are in reach) I'll choose the two I prefer. If it's inconvenient to get the third, I'll still choose to use the ball with the smoothest covering for 1st Serve ... and the fuzziest goes in my pocket for the 2nd Serve (most of the time). Since I use more spin on my 2nd Serve, I like to have a ball that will really react to the spin.

What's the problem with the Pros doing this too?

- KK

 

[breakfast_of_champions]

If grunting really does help in explosive moments, I wonder why we seldom hear baseball pitchers or batters grunt? Surely, at the precise moment when a pitcher releases the ball, and at the split second that a batter swings his bat, is when they want maximum explosive power. And if grunting helps in that regard, then why hasn't grunting been used by pitchers and batters?

I suspect the answer is that any help that grunting affords is so infinitesimally small, that it's not really measureable or definable, and that grunting is purely a mental thing that helps certain players. Grunting during play is similar to so many people peppering their speaking with "...you know..., you know what I mean...". It's just a reflex action that adds little to the actual event or speech being made. With a little training, grunting and the "you knows" can be eliminated without loss of any function.

a baseball pitcher, or batter, is a poor example. if a batter exploded into his swing, he fall on his butt. they don't explode into there motion. have you ever heard a football linesman grunt? how bout weightlifters? i think the answer is absolutely, and it helps there performance. when you get the very top level of sports, it is the little things that are gonna make the difference.

 

[Deleted member 6835]

Your post is quite funny. TSN didn't have any commentators on their broadcast of the Australian Open. Whatever they showed are feeds from ESPN & ESPN2, therefore any commentators you heard are from ESPN & ESTN2, i.e. Brad Gilbert, Pat MacE, Chris Fowler and their usual bunch.

I wonder what TSN thought when you told them to f**k off.

Sunflower, every tennis player I know have their own idiosyncrasies when they're playing. Tennis, afterall, is an individual sport and for that reason you would notice players exhibit their personalities.

sry my fault, should've remembered, it was espn2 (here), so i point my finger at those commentators. btw, who from tsn would read this anyways? mind you, i hope the commentators from that match (whoever they were) read this.

btw, you all know i dont mean exactly to "f**k off*, its just that im trying to make my point.

 

[jgunnink]

Things that annoyed me:

1) Live Final on ESPN was 12:30 a.m. Pacific time in U.S.

2) Mauresmo winning by default.

3) Luke Jensen, Brad Gilbert, and Chris Fowler. My TiVo fast-forward finger got a cramp. Where was Johnny Mac?

4) Kiefer's racket toss. It reminded me of Henin-Hardenne's stunt at the French a few years ago (waving off the serve, then saying she didn't)

5) Watching Sharapova play. With the long service routine (I swear it's all mind games), she can make an 0 and 2 match last two hours. She's talented, I admit that, but it's grueling.