WTA plans on cutting grunting out of the women's game

DavaiMarat

Professional
Women’s tour says it is developing plan to ‘drive excessive grunting’ out of tennis

http://www.thestar.com/sports/tenni...lan-to-drive-excessive-grunting-out-of-tennis

If so they better hit the men too. Just because their grunt it lower pitched means they can grunt and the women cannot. I'd like to see Nadal lose it when he gets called for Delay of game and excessive noise.

3/4 top women grunt and shriek to no avail (Kvitova does her post winner ear piercing shout). What are they going to do. Fine these players? Disqualify them?

Grunting is part of the game. If you can't stand it stay home.
 

scotus

G.O.A.T.
I applaud the WTA for trying to do something about.

They should have done something a long time ago beginning with Monica Seles.
 

ollinger

G.O.A.T.
It may improve my own game as well. Some hotshot high school kids who train at a club I play in do the loud grunting thing, and in an indoor facility you're disturbing the play of half a dozen other games going on. I've told some of them to keep it down, now I can tell them how it will hinder them as pros.
 

SoCalJay

Semi-Pro
It will be interesting to see how they tackle this since determining an "acceptable" volume/length of grunt seems extremely subjective. Also, if a level is set where anything above the level is a hindrance, does that mean that when a player is on the run and hits an amazing shot on the stretch it could be potentially negated because she was slightly louder that time (greater effort)?
 

Faster

Hall of Fame
I really wonder what their plan is as they say it won't affect current players.
Do we get matches were Sharapova is allowed to shriek as loud as she can/does, but her opponent has to be quiet because she's from a younger generation?
 

dman72

Hall of Fame
What are Sharapova and Azarenka going to do if they enforce this, leave the tour?

The screeching is out of control and they need to stop it by whatever means necessary. Instead of going after the younger players, they need to hit it AT THE TOP with the biggest offenders.

I'm sure Masha and Shriekarenka will go form their own tennis league because they can't scream anymore. :rolleyes:
 

DavaiMarat

Professional
I really wonder what their plan is as they say it won't affect current players.
Do we get matches were Sharapova is allowed to shriek as loud as she can/does, but her opponent has to be quiet because she's from a younger generation?

That would be hilarious. SHarapova telling the empire her opponent is too loud!
 

Faster

Hall of Fame
What are Sharapova and Azarenka going to do if they enforce this, leave the tour?

The screeching is out of control and they need to stop it by whatever means necessary. Instead of going after the younger players, they need to hit it AT THE TOP with the biggest offenders.

I'm sure Masha and Shriekarenka will go form their own tennis league because they can't scream anymore. :rolleyes:

The rule/measure won't affect current players

there's a catch: The proposed changes won't apply to any current players. They would be grandfathered in because some experts say it'd be too hard for Victoria Azarenka to change her affected, distracting shrieking "ingrained motor skills and breathing techniques." Instead, this effort is meant to educate so tennis academies can't breed little Maria Sharapovas.

"What is clear from experts is that [banning grunting now] would have a clear, damaging effect on performance of the existing generation," WTA chairman Stacey Allaster told USA Today.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tenni...unting-over-next-20-years-195153976--ten.html
 
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North

Professional
The women really shriek, rather than grunt. It would be nice not to have to listen to the shrieking, which often sounds like someone getting a root canal without anaesthesia.
However, some of the men do grunt, which is also annoying. On every shot, Djokovic sounds like he's coughing up a hairball lol.
 

Pkcourt

New User
What are Sharapova and Azarenka going to do if they enforce this, leave the tour?

The screeching is out of control and they need to stop it by whatever means necessary. Instead of going after the younger players, they need to hit it AT THE TOP with the biggest offenders.

I'm sure Masha and Shriekarenka will go form their own tennis league because they can't scream anymore. :rolleyes:

Watching sharapova today she would screech and then be quiet, so she can control it. I have always felt that Maria and the williams do it to distract the opponent when things are going bad. All the other player has to do is mach the screeching players during the match, like do it in between points and change overs.
 

Sentinel

Bionic Poster
I've seen Serena play 2 or 3 games quietly and then suddenly let out a loud scream at 5-4 in a critical point while hitting a possible winner.
 

THUNDERVOLLEY

G.O.A.T.
The rule/measure won't affect current players

there's a catch: The proposed changes won't apply to any current players. They would be grandfathered in because some experts say it'd be too hard for Victoria Azarenka to change her affected, distracting shrieking "ingrained motor skills and breathing techniques." Instead, this effort is meant to educate so tennis academies can't breed little Maria Sharapovas.

"What is clear from experts is that [banning grunting now] would have a clear, damaging effect on performance of the existing generation," WTA chairman Stacey Allaster told USA Today.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tenni...unting-over-next-20-years-195153976--ten.html


..in other words, the WTA is not going to screw with the current money makers and/or stars on the tour.

Hollow move.
 

sabala

Semi-Pro
I don't think the men grunt at the same decibel level as the women. Not sure what the men measure at but I believe the women can get to over 100. That is loud, too loud. A lawnmower is listed at 90 decibels. de Brito had a reading of 109 decibels and Sharapova has hit 101 decibels.

Occasionally on tv they will show a split screen of 2 matches going on - when the show a women's match and a men's match side by side, the women's audio COMPLETELY drowns out the men's, drives me nuts! It's ridiculous!

That said, I find Ferrer gets pretty annoying, "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" sounds like Minni Me from Austin Powers, lol - the worst is definitely Granollers, though. Glad he doesn't do that well...

I thought I read somewhere where they are trying to stop grunting at the junior levels?? Might be a long time before the shriekers are gone!
 

TennisNinja

Hall of Fame
It will be interesting to see how they tackle this since determining an "acceptable" volume/length of grunt seems extremely subjective. Also, if a level is set where anything above the level is a hindrance, does that mean that when a player is on the run and hits an amazing shot on the stretch it could be potentially negated because she was slightly louder that time (greater effort)?

I think the appropriate thing to do would be to address the situation like taking time between points. It's going to be up to the judge's discretion.
 

Hi I'm Ray

Professional
Kind of a weird rule imo. I'm fairly low volume on court but when I go for a shot while out of position I'll usually grunt much louder. I'm sure those of you posters who actually play competitive tennis will do the same. The pros hit the ball pretty damn hard and are very, very often hitting while on the run, out of position, at full stretch, or trying to hit a hard return off a difficult ball - they should be allowed to grunt.
 
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sbengte

G.O.A.T.
I don't know why the non-grunting opponents of Sharapova and Azarenka tolerate their shrieking. Why can't one of them complain about hindrance ?

If not , shriek/howl even more ridiculously yourself , maybe a long drawn shriek which lasts until your opponent hits the ball. And do it only once in a while , not regularly so the original shriekers are caught by surprise and make an error.

Agree with those who say that they should have cracked down on the likes of Seles long back and never allowed it to get to this level.
 

a10best

Legend
Great decision. I think Agassi began it all in the late 80s (it was tolerable), Seles made it worse, the Williams sisters, Azarenka and some other WTA players take advantage of it.

Thank goodness it is being dealt with. Now a roof at Flushing Meadows is still on the agenda.
 

CDestroyer

Professional
Women’s tour says it is developing plan to ‘drive excessive grunting’ out of tennis

http://www.thestar.com/sports/tenni...lan-to-drive-excessive-grunting-out-of-tennis

If so they better hit the men too. Just because their grunt it lower pitched means they can grunt and the women cannot. I'd like to see Nadal lose it when he gets called for Delay of game and excessive noise.

3/4 top women grunt and shriek to no avail (Kvitova does her post winner ear piercing shout). What are they going to do. Fine these players? Disqualify them?

Grunting is part of the game. If you can't stand it stay home.

The WTA and most people disagree with you. You stay home or get popped in the eye like Safin did in your avatar.:smile:
 

marpiw

Semi-Pro
Women’s tour says it is developing plan to ‘drive excessive grunting’ out of tennis

http://www.thestar.com/sports/tenni...lan-to-drive-excessive-grunting-out-of-tennis

If so they better hit the men too. Just because their grunt it lower pitched means they can grunt and the women cannot. I'd like to see Nadal lose it when he gets called for Delay of game and excessive noise.

3/4 top women grunt and shriek to no avail (Kvitova does her post winner ear piercing shout). What are they going to do. Fine these players? Disqualify them?

Grunting is part of the game. If you can't stand it stay home.
Nobody can disqualify a sportsman in any sport because he grunts or shrieks.Silence is not a part of the developement of any sport.Sports do not need silence.
Perhaps grunting or shrieking could be reduced if the associations would put their players on medical treatment based on learning how to breathe during the sports action...
 

SLD76

G.O.A.T.
Women’s tour says it is developing plan to ‘drive excessive grunting’ out of tennis

http://www.thestar.com/sports/tenni...lan-to-drive-excessive-grunting-out-of-tennis

If so they better hit the men too. Just because their grunt it lower pitched means they can grunt and the women cannot. I'd like to see Nadal lose it when he gets called for Delay of game and excessive noise.

3/4 top women grunt and shriek to no avail (Kvitova does her post winner ear piercing shout). What are they going to do. Fine these players? Disqualify them?



Grunting is part of the game. If you can't stand it stay home.

ill pack sharapova's bags for her.
 

SLD76

G.O.A.T.
What are Sharapova and Azarenka going to do if they enforce this, leave the tour?

The screeching is out of control and they need to stop it by whatever means necessary. Instead of going after the younger players, they need to hit it AT THE TOP with the biggest offenders.

I'm sure Masha and Shriekarenka will go form their own tennis league because they can't scream anymore. :rolleyes:

masha doesnt make a peep during practice.

azarenka however would be at a disadvantage
 

rosewall4ever

Semi-Pro
its despicable for fans to be expected to clap in approval for sharapovas' win after an hour long verbal abuse to the ears. Whats more deplorable is how she seems to return to prim and proper ladylike behaviour, and then she gestures to the crowd like nothing ever happened?
umpire needs to have a db tester for excessive levels; begining with 3 warnings, then point/game deduction, and finally disqualification.
 
L

Laurie

Guest
..in other words, the WTA is not going to screw with the current money makers and/or stars on the tour.

Hollow move.

That appears to be the case if the Stacey Alister quote is correct. That sounds like politics.
 

Devilito

Legend
Women’s tour says it is developing plan to ‘drive excessive grunting’ out of tennis

http://www.thestar.com/sports/tenni...lan-to-drive-excessive-grunting-out-of-tennis

If so they better hit the men too. Just because their grunt it lower pitched means they can grunt and the women cannot. I'd like to see Nadal lose it when he gets called for Delay of game and excessive noise.

3/4 top women grunt and shriek to no avail (Kvitova does her post winner ear piercing shout). What are they going to do. Fine these players? Disqualify them?

Grunting is part of the game. If you can't stand it stay home.

So why do people focus and complain about WTA grunting and not about ATP grunting? Is everyone a misogynist? OR Could the more rational explanation be that the women are way more loud and annoying is it’s just a fact that it’s a major issue on the WTA and not on the ATP. There is also a HUGE difference between grunting due to effort and a hard fought point and the screaming shot after shot that WTA players do. Grunting…. Screaming. Totally different. When Sharapova or Azarenka scream and yell on every single shot it’s not because of effort or running out of breath. They do it on purpose. If they wanted to they could stop, they just don’t want to. Simple, end of story. So enough with the conspiracy theories or debates. Its plain as day. Nobody cares about grunting when Nadal and Djokovic are about to die during a 40 ball rally. They care about the total BS screaming that WTA players pull that parallels NOBODY on the ATP tour.
 
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