Screeching of women tennis players.

[rov1100]

Does any tournament in the world ban this awful screeching? If not should be have a decibel meter fitted at tournaments so that exceeding this limit would involve a penalty?

We know they can cut down if they really want to as players like Venus Williams have cut it out on occasions.

[DrFilth]

since they moved the cameras higher up i don't know anyone that watches it

[R1Geezer]

you can't ban it, it's not voluntary!

[cazzz1975]

I find it a strange phenomena, in the years before the first screecher (monica seles) it was something that happened rarely, you would get one or two players who would grunt (not screech) like arantxa sanchez but generally it was seles who started the real screeching that we hear today.

I am puzzled as to why its so common now and not so common back then

[R1Geezer]

they are getting ever fitter and the noise is just the effort.

[cazzz1975]

with the exception of the williams sisters who are positively amazonian in build most of them seem similar to their predecessors.

[seadogg]

Some of these harpies make a noise like a frenzied "out" call which we find a bit confusing. "We"have now becomes "She" as I cannot stand any more of it.

[Gromit]

Most television sets and remotes have a little button with a triangle on it and +/-. incredible as it may seem, by pressing the button in the minus direction, has the effect of muting any noise you do not like.

There are other buttons that change the picture to "Antiques in the Attic" or "judge Judy". There is even one button, which when pressed, blanks out the screen entirely.

[cazzz1975]

no one is going to keep muting the tv in between shots gromit, what a bizarre suggestion.

I can appreciate why people find the yelping disconcerting, it can impair the enjoyment in the game a little.

[seadogg]

True, but if you 'aint on your own you change the volume only after agreement with others. Easier said than done.

[Gromit]

Then the only solution for watching in mixed company is corks, one in each ear.

[beso]

Players are using to disguise the moment of impact of the ball in an effort to throw out the timing of the other player.

Sharapova is particularly annoying. There is another one who virtually calls "Out" on each hit. This is outright cheating as far as I am concerned.

Unfortunately it is difficult to set a limit on what kind of vocalisation is reasonable so players exploit it. It needed to have been nipped in the bud but nobody realised how far it would go.

[rov1100]

You can't use the mute button otherwise you would not hear the sound of the ball hitting the racket.

[woofgang]

the screeches and grunts are annoying yes but the crowd chanting and calling out I find absolutely maddening and completely uncalled for.

[bazwillrun]

This is why i dont bother watching womens tennis anymore.

Once Seles started it then others just went along and copied it and kept doing because wimbledon didnt outlaw it

its a pathetic habit, if young kids coming to the game see it as acceptable then they will do it as well and think that what they are supposed to do

[cazzz1975]

I agree with beso, tennis has been possible in the past (graf,sabatini era) to be played powerfully and successfully without the screeching, I think the levels of late are out of control and only serve to distract the opponents game.

[anotheoldgit]

/// the crowd chanting and calling out I find absolutely maddening and completely uncalled for. ///

Yes but the umpire soon puts an end to it, and so they should with certain women players, either cease or get off court, or perhaps the shout of fault would suffice?

Or maybe in the name of equality the crowd might be allowed to bring in Vuvuzela horns?

[seadogg]

Wonder if there is any correlation between the increase of tactical screecing and the value of prize money?

[joeluke]

Who cares what noises players make, I didn't realise tennis was a silent sport

[ludwig]

It is ridiculous, and it is cheating.

I wonder what they'd do if every time someone hit the ball they screamed out a word like 'bananas' rather than just a random noise. Would that be seen differently, and if so why? Someone should try it - if they made a move to ban that, they'd have to explain why it's unfair but a random scream at the top of your voice isn't.

I'd like to see it taken up in other sports, just for a laugh. ie whenever golfers hit the ball they screech, or even chess - whenever you move a piece you're allowed to scream, just to liven things up a bit.

[Kromovaracun]

How can you hate the screeching? Watching tennis wouldn't be the same without it. I think it's wonderful.