Sound and Celebration Control

[theshredder]

I was so pleased to see in the latest issue of Inside Tennis that there are others out there who have had it with Maria Shriekapova. Yes, she was definitely a refreshing change of scene when she won Wimbledon, literally and figuratively...but then anything would be better than having the Williams shoved down our throats, Capriati bitching about everything, or Davenport dourly clomping around.

Now, however, when Sharapova plays, I head for the hills. Will someone please tell me why anyone, let alone Sharapova, has to make ungodly shrieks in the act of hitting a tennis ball? I have no problem with expelling air or a bit of a grunt from time to time, but the torture chamber/childbirth wails are WAY over the top. Additionally, after every damn point there's a fist pump and a look to "Psycho Dad." It makes it all seem so businesslike and for me, this "attractive" player becomes anything but.

Why should the crowd remain "pin-drop" silent when you have a player breaking the sound barrier on every swing? Sure, you can turn the sound off, but if you enjoy hearing the ball being struck, the squeaking of shoes and the response of the crowd you miss all that. It HAS to drive the people playing her crazy! Or imagine Shriekapova and Monica Seles battling it out. You'd be tempted to call 911 if you couldn't see they were playing tennis. Sharapova isn't the only "shrieker," but she definitely the current bar-setter.

Calling all tennis pros...PLEASE teach your up-and-coming stars to expel air in a way in a way that doesn't suggest they're having an operation without an anesthetic.

[johnyandell]

Well it may be a bit vehement, but I have to say you do have a point. I've complained to officials for less myself...

[Hopp Roger]

Grunt Q's for all the tennis pros on this forum

Ha, still laughing about the Shredder's plea to coaches!

Maybe you coaches can help me and my teammates/friends by answering these questions.

SCREAMS/SHRIEKS
We are all taught to exhale, but does the scream serve a purpose? More power or something?
Do they vocalize it to disguise the sound of shot? [not that most screamers have much variety to their games anyway]

Is it:
-an intimidation thing?
-an intentional annoyance?
-or a subconscious way of letting the crowd know you are giving a huge effort? Sort of a pre-emptive strike against the affluent-pampered-tennis player label that still may exist?

Do coaches actually promote violent grunting?

Who are the noted screamers, besides the aforementioned Seles and Sharapova? Serena? Who else has been confronted by their opponents or the media? Are there any male screamers on the tour?
Is screaming tiring for the screamer? Do they get sore throats from matches? Do they do it in practice?

GRUNTS
Why do some players (like the retired Thomas Muster) grunt every step of the way to retrieve a dropshot? I have noticed that some players grunt after the shot has left their strings. Some during. Some have two grunts per shot. Why? Or is one of those grunts an inhaling noise? How many tour players inhale (well, that is a question for another thread, I suppose).


Just curious.
Mille grazie.
Great site by the way.

Hopp Rogi

[marius hancu]

Serena is another serious grunter and ferocious masker:-[[

This fight was lost since the time of Seles, when it become accepted, not rejected practice. Too late now.

[ladycoach]

grunting

The Shredder is obviously a male who is threatened by women.
So what, they are loud? So what, they put a lot of effort into their craft? They care. They sweat. They are athletes, professional ones at that.

After his initial rant, the Shredder then tries to set women's tennis back a generation by subtly poking at Davenport and Capriati. Please, mister. I know what you are saying. They are not your type. You are probably not theirs. Get over it, Shredder.

Please be supportive and positive on this forum, especially of female athletes who do not seek male acceptance for self-esteem. They work for it.
The great sport of tennis needs more people like Billie Jean King and to some extent, Martina Navratilova. We'd be just fine without the Shredder and his ilk.

Thank you,
The LadyCoach.

[theshredder]

Thanks for the psychoanalysis...silly me to think I could actually be quite fond of women and not like everything about all of them.

I should have mentioned it would be no less disconcerting if someone of Sharapova's ilk (always televised) on the men's side made the same cacophonous shrieks after every swing. I have tremendous respect for anyone who can play tennis at the world class level. The talent, desire and hard work that it takes to get there are unquestionable.

Fortunately, the majority of those players don't break the sound barrier when they play, and they're the ones I'll watch.

[JullietteRogers]

Maria

Personally I find Maria's grunts to be kind of sexy--she is definitely dominating the court in more than one way with her presence. Now if I had to play against it then I might have a problem. That grunt and that backhand--a great combination...

[theshredder]

Maria

Ahhh...the "shrieks of passion" spin. Might be worth a try...

[Stefan]

I have actually heard radio programs use a clip from a ladies tennis match and threw some seductive music over it. The results were absolutely hysterical!!!