Stacey Allaster proposed changes to excessive grunting in the WTA

[MargaretMcAleer]

I found the link,then it said the link had expired?

Though I investigated further and found important points of Stacey Allaster's proposed changes to excessive grunting on another site.

" Citing increasing discontent from fans Stacey Allaster said that the WTA plans to launch an initiative in conjunction with the ITF and Grand Slam Committee table to be determind-to teach young players breathing techniques to avoid grunting and to eventually adopt a new rule against noises deemed too loud,with the help of a decibel meter to be designed for use by chair umpires.The plan is to 'eliminate excessive grunting for 'the next generation,Allaster said,'but (we're) doing it in such a manner that it does not drive out our current players who have trained their entire lives the way they play today."

Martina Navratilova suggested that players be given a one-year warning before enactment of a rule accessing penalities for excessive noise,"You got used to it-champions adjust."

 

[Kirijax]

Let's hope it works so we can avoid another generation of Sharapovas and Azarenkas. I want to be able to watch the WTA again.

 

[faradubii]

Let's hope it works so we can avoid another generation of Sharapovas and Azarenkas. I want to be able to watch the WTA again.

There's a difference between these 2 examples:
Azarenka's hooting is constant, all during the match is pretty much the same. I doubt it has anything to do with a real grunting brought out by effort, as she hoots even on dropshots. But at least is the same all during the match.
Sharapova's shrieks are obviously another animal all together. She has moments in the matches that she fully controls when she's pretty much silent. But lo and behold, if she's behind the sounds she makes are louder and louder and more high pitched. Evidently, like Azarenka, these have nothing to do with effort, as she shrieks on all shots and prolongates the sound long after her strike movement is done, but if she hits the net it suddenly stops.
Sharapova is by far the worse offender than Azarenka, because it's obvious the shrieks are there to intimidate and bother the girl on the other side (in tandem with her glares and slow serving and all that jazz).

 

[10isfan]

Martina's suggestion could not be better. Set a date on which screaming becomes prohibited. If a player lost a point for every scream, you can bet she would stop immediately. Allister does not have the guts to take this route. If she did, it would have already happened.

 

[tented]

Thanks for opening this thread, fashionista.

Here are a few relevant links:

From ESPN: "Women's tennis battles 'grunt work'"

From USA Today: "WTA has begun audio tests in efforts to curb grunting"

From Yahoo Sports: "WTA to phase out grunting … over the next 20 years"

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Thanks for opening this thread, fashionista.

Here are a few relevant links:

From ESPN: "Women's tennis battles 'grunt work'"

From USA Today: "WTA has begun audio tests in efforts to curb grunting"

From Yahoo Sports: "WTA to phase out grunting … over the next 20 years"

I tried to post that link from USA today on this post and for some reason I got a message that post had retired? strange

Thanks for listing more posts on this subject....

 

[MashaFan]

I found the link,then it said the link had expired?

Though I investigated further and found important points of Stacey Allaster's proposed changes to excessive grunting on another site.

" Citing increasing discontent from fans Stacey Allaster said that the WTA plans to launch an initiative in conjunction with the ITF and Grand Slam Committee table to be determind-to teach young players breathing techniques to avoid grunting and to eventually adopt a new rule against noises deemed too loud,with the help of a decibel meter to be designed for use by chair umpires.The plan is to 'eliminate excessive grunting for 'the next generation,Allaster said,'but (we're) doing it in such a manner that it does not drive out our current players who have trained their entire lives the way they play today."

Martina Navratilova suggested that players be given a one-year warning before enactment of a rule accessing penalities for excessive noise,"You got used to it-champions adjust."

I assume that your quote was taken from this article?: Women's tennis battles 'grunt work'

Note what Stacey Allaster really said:

Citing increasing discontent from fans Stacey Allaster said that the WTA plans to launch an initiative in conjunction with the ITF and Grand Slam Committee table to be determind-to teach young players breathing techniques to avoid grunting and to eventually adopt a new rule against noises deemed too loud,with the help of a decibel meter to be designed for use by chair umpires.The plan is to 'eliminate excessive grunting for 'the next generation,Allaster said,'but (we're) doing it in such a manner that it does not drive out our current players who have trained their entire lives the way they play today.

So in fact Stacey Allaster only made vague promises and the fact is that nothing is going to happen in the near future as of yet which is exactly what I've said in another thread - In the video clip Stacey Allaster also said that the majority of the quiet players hardly hear the shrieking - screaming - grunting - The conclusion must be that the whining about hindrance some tennis fans here and in other tennis forums always bring forward is just nonsense - Note also that top players like Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters never have complained or have said a bad word about the Masha shriek - not even after their retirement

Also - Martina Navratilova only expresses her personal opinion which is as good as the next and absolutely doesn't mean that her words are God given - Her argument (playing Monica Seles)

"It affected my game because to me it is important to hear the ball hit the racket; you can hear a bad shot before you can see it and the sound is an imperative part of the game."

That is maybe true for her (although she has stopped playing years ago) - but there is no rule which states that a player must be able to "hear the ball hit the racket" and it is therefor a nonsense argument - At the other hand one can also argue that a shriek prohibition affects the shrieker's game because to her to exhale the way she likes is an imperative part of her game

The main thing is however that today the rules are as they are and after 10 years with the likes of Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams the constant whining and accusations about hindrance and cheating are just preposterous - The whiners in fact don't give a damn about the opponents of a shrieker they just have very sensitive ears and very weak nerve systems and they only argue the issue for their own convenience - My cat and dog don't give a damn and keep sleeping when I'm watching a Masha match with the volume level up so I can hear the commentator(s) and these animals have very good and sensitive ears :laydownlaughing

I get it that some suffer tremendously watching some shrieking players matches but geeezzz do they have to whine about hindrance and cheating time and time again in every frickin' thread that concerns especially Maria Sharapova? - Is there really nothing new they can find to ridicule her with?

 

[MashaFan]

Martina's suggestion could not be better. Set a date on which screaming becomes prohibited. If a player lost a point for every scream, you can bet she would stop immediately. Allister does not have the guts to take this route. If she did, it would have already happened.

Yes - probably because

1. She is aware that most of the "tennis fans" complaining are Maria Sharapova haters since the issue blew up when she entered the scene while Venus Williams and by that time even Serena Williams for example already were established shriekers - In the 2004 Wimbledon final Serena was obviously louder than Masha when she tried to intimidate her

2. As I said - Allaster also knows that for every protesting fan there are at least 10 who don't give a damn - In spite of the shriekers - people still come to see their matches and Masha is one hell of a spectator magnet on the women's side - Also the number of TV spectators hasn't dropped when TV channels broadcast a match with a top shrieker else they would have demanded measures a long time ago

My advise - Get use to it because as the Borg say - resistance is futile

 

[Kirijax]

It hasn't gone away and won't go away because it's a big problem that most rational tennis fans want fixed. It's annoying, it's laughable, it's thinly veiled cheating and all around poor gamesmanship. If it wasn't a problem it would have blown away years ago. But it is a problem, commentators talk about it frequently but the WTA is too gutless to mess with their biggest cash cow.

 

[MashaFan]

It hasn't gone away and won't go away because it's a big problem that most rational tennis fans want fixed. It's annoying, it's laughable, it's thinly veiled cheating and all around poor gamesmanship. If it wasn't a problem it would have blown away years ago. But it is a problem, commentators talk about it frequently but the WTA is too gutless to mess with their biggest cash cow.

Oh dear - Do you need a hug?

 

[Kirijax]

It hasn't gone away and won't go away because it's a big problem that most rational tennis fans want fixed. It's annoying, it's laughable, it's thinly veiled cheating and all around poor gamesmanship. If it wasn't a problem it would have blown away years ago. But it is a problem, commentators talk about it frequently but the WTA is too gutless to mess with their biggest cash cow.

Oh dear - Do you need a hug?

Not from you. :snigger

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

It is not only Maria Sharapova,other players like Azarenka,who I have watched many times in practice and also live around the world,same with Maria Sharapova,another player that I can confidently cite is Michelle Larcher De Brito? Sara Errani's grunt is just woeful.

May I pose this question?

Why is it after a player strikes the ball,their grunting of schrieking goes on long after the ball has left their racquet?

 

[MashaFan]

It is not only Maria Sharapova,other players like Azarenka,who I have watched many times in practice and also live around the world,same with Maria Sharapova,another player that I can confidently cite is Michelle Larcher De Brito? Sara Errani's grunt is just woeful.

May I pose this question?

Why is it after a player strikes the ball,their grunting of schrieking goes on long after the ball has left their racquet?

You must admit that most hindrance and cheating comments on this site concerns Maria Sharapova - Don't take my reply as to you personal - It seems no one took the time to read my comment in the other thread and they're likely to turn a blind eye for what I've written now - hence all the statements and whatnot without any substance

As for your question - You maybe perceive it that way - when you've prejudices you can always hear or see things that are not there - As far as I know there is no scientific proof that the schrieking goes on long after the ball has left their racquet - I personally have never perceived it that way - not with Masha or any other shrieker - I understand where you are going but ultimately the last word is with the umpire and I've never heard an umpire judge that the shrieking went on for to long

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I honestly dont perceive it that way? I hear it that way.
Maria Sharapova isnt the only player that has excessive noise in the WTA as I previously posted.

 

[MashaFan]

I honestly dont perceive it that way? I hear it that way.
Maria Sharapova isnt the only player that has excessive noise in the WTA as I previously posted.

I understand where you are going but ultimately the last word is with the umpire and I've never heard an umpire judge that the shrieking went on for to long

I also wanna add - the arguments against shrieking - screaming - grunting vary from one match to another but none of them have any real substance

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I honestly dont perceive it that way? I hear it that way.
Maria Sharapova isnt the only player that has excessive noise in the WTA as I previously posted.

I understand where you are going but ultimately the last word is with the umpire and I've never heard an umpire judge that the shrieking went on for to long

Well under the new proposed changes that Stacey Allaster wants in place in the future,the chair umpire will be deemed to make that call against a player,of course any changes,or new rules have to be approved by the ITF.

 

[Calvy]

The issue is, does it bother the other players?

If the opponents of those that "shriek" at high decibels or grunt loudly, then this whole debate is mute.

That being said, I do recall at the French Open, during the Azarenka/Sharapova match, the commentators mentioning you could hear them both outside of the stadium at times. Now that is unacceptable. Also, if a "shriek" extends up to the opponent hitting the ball, that should qualify as a hinderance.

...but, again, until the other players complain, nothing will truly be accomplished.

 

[MashaFan]

Well under the new proposed changes that Stacey Allaster wants in place in the future,the chair umpire will be deemed to make that call against a player,of course any changes,or new rules have to be approved by the ITF.

Yes - I don't know what the future holds - All I'm saying is that all these same statements without substance - accusations and loose arguments about shrieking during the passed 10 years until today are ridiculous and nonsense and more annoying than 10 shriekers on the court together - That is my opinion and I stick with it - Things are what they are - deal with it!!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well you are entitled to your opinion,just as other fans are entitled to theirs on this subject.
I for one welcome the new proposed changes as outlined by Stacey Allaster,it also has to begin in the junior ranks.

 

[MashaFan]

The issue is, does it bother the other players?

If the opponents of those that "shriek" at high decibels or grunt loudly, then this whole debate is mute.

That being said, I do recall at the French Open, during the Azarenka/Sharapova match, the commentators mentioning you could hear them both outside of the stadium at times. Now that is unacceptable. Also, if a "shriek" extends up to the opponent hitting the ball, that should qualify as a hinderance.

...but, again, until the other players complain, nothing will truly be accomplished.

IF it had bothered the majority of the WTA players (of which most of them are quiet players) then they would have protested through their players union 10 years ago - so tell me - Have you read any article about such protesting players?

Commentators are usually old (male) farts who've been brought up with a "gentlemen sport" - Their opinion is highly biased especially when they comment women's matches