According to Stacey Allaster, the chief executive of the Women’s Tennis Association, grunting tennis players are unlikely to stop anytime soon.
Last week, World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark criticized her fellow competitors for grunting during matches, likening it to a form of cheating.
Nonetheless, Allaster has indicated that such loud noises are an inherent part of tennis and will persist.
“I thought we had gotten past this,” Allaster replied when questioned about whether the WTA was addressing the aesthetically unappealing sounds that certain spectators find objectionable. “Grunting is part of our sport – full stop,” she stated emphatically. “Athletes who strike the ball as forcefully as they do will produce those sounds. Women do it, men do it, and it’s going to carry on.”
While speaking on the last day of the WTA Championships, the association’s season-ending tournament, Allaster acknowledged that she was aware of the feedback from fans, especially since the WTA’s statistics show that more people are watching women’s tennis.
For the first time, the matter of grunting was discussed at the WTA board meeting during the US Open in New York last September, she noted. The board decided to examine “what could and could not be done.”
Allaster elaborated: “It is true that I’ve received more fan communications regarding the grunting. However, I wonder if enhanced technology and digital sound are contributing factors.
“Nobody is doing it intentionally. It’s simply part of their training,” she remarked, explaining that some coaches encourage players to exhale upon hitting the ball, generally to achieve a greater impact.
Contradicting this, Wozniacki allegedly stated four days earlier: “I believe some players do it intentionally.”
“They don’t make that noise in practice but then grunt during matches. If they do it in both practice and matches, that’s a different story. I think officials could definitely manage it,” she reportedly added.
Allaster countered, saying, “I have not heard any complaints from players regarding this. It doesn’t bother the athletes, and we have a hindrance rule already in place.”
This rule was notably enforced during the 1992 Wimbledon final when Monica Seles was requested to reduce her gasping and grunting, resulting in a lopsided defeat against Steffi Graf.
Many people feel that the pressure from the request negatively impacted Seles’ performance, and the hindrance rule has rarely been applied in similar situations since then.
Despite this, Allaster remarked: “It’s part of what this generation does. However, if it becomes a significant issue, adjustments may be necessary for the next generation.”
Buford Balony says: I’d like to do some grunting with Wozniacki, let me tell you.
