What happened to Sharapova?

[T5Chris]

Just started watching tennis again since my favorite player, Agassi, retired. I turned on the TV last night to see Sharapova play Pin in that close upset.

While they were playing, something was not right...what was it? NO GRUNTING or SCREAMING by Maria! My question is, when did this happen? Is it just the heat where she had no energy to grunt? Did an event occur that made her change her in game noise level? I.E. regulations, criticism of unsportmanslike conduct etc..?

 

[maverick66]

she was tired. it was incredibally hot. plus she hits as hard as she can on everything which will tire you out very fast. at least she made me laugh with dropping the f-bomb. that was funny.

 

[Andrew]

She was screaming even louder as the third set progressed...

 

[abenguyen]

it was freaking over 100 degrees. im pretty sure you'd be tired as hell. but also near the end she was grunting pretty loud even though she had some pain near her stitches on her side

 

[Dho4001]

ya I heard a lot of grunting towards the end.

 

[tennis334]

Sharapova's grunting is so fake and ill timed. I wouldn't care so much if she gave a big "come on" after a hard fought point but her screeched "COME ON"'s sometimes come after an unforced error by her opponent and she wins just as much when not grunting, that it is obviously an intimidation factor.

She sees she is getting beat, so what does she do? Crank up the volume to unnerve her opponent. Anyone else think the WTA should try and crack down on this obvious gamesmanship?

 

[Phil]

ya I heard a lot of grunting towards the end.

I'm not sure why people still call what she does "grunting". A grunt is an involuntary type noise caused, I think, by a surge in energy. And it's not usually all that loud.

I'm sure there is a much more technical description for grunting, but what Sharapova does, plain and simple, is SCREAM. That's a scream, people. Not a grunt.

 

[abenguyen]

According to Dictionary.com,
Grunting- to utter the deep, guttural sound characteristic of a hog

so therefore she wasn't really grunting like phil said but screaming.