Screamers-Where do 'ya draw the line?
Written by Tennis Pro, Thursday October 28 2010
Remember the days when tennis was considered a “Gentlemen’s / Ladies…game. They wore white clothes, and conducted themselves in such a civilized manner, without outbursts, name calling, and the use of certain “Objectionable” words you only heard in a waterfront bar after midnight? All of that…GONE! Little by little, the “Will of the people” crept in and changed the sport forever. What’s the will of the people…that’s when one generation dies off in control of…anything, and a new usually more permissive generation takes over and says, “Oh that’s ok to do _____, or “We’ll let that slide under the guise of STUFF Happens”, and so it slides through. In the instance of tennis on the mass media, the producers (being of the next generation) found that that kind of behavior was suddenly more of a “Draw” to the masses, and they weren’t about to “Throw water” on a raging fire that was keeping them warm, and cooking their filet mignon. So now you have a new level of viewers, and a new level of “Give the people what they want”, producers, along with a new level of tennis regulatory organizations like USPTA, and USTA, and the result is players screaming at line judges, umpires and officials, like it was expected of them. You have gotta think, “What’s happened”? How did we go from what was a very stately, reserved, high borne sport to something that resembles World Wrestling Federation. Remember it’s “Give the people what they want” mentality, and that will always (like water) seek its own level, if you know what I mean.
Speaking of SCREAMERS…let’s examine the practice of screaming during the actual act of hitting a tennis ball. Why do people scream when hitting a tennis ball? Jimmy Connors was one of the first to let out a long grunt (as it was called then) when he served. Some Karate instructor probably told him it gives more energy to your swing, or something like that, because in martial arts it actually does add more power to a blow. So he was probably one of the first to use this technique of grunting when he served because it was a BY PRODUCT of exerting a tremendous force, an out rush of air from your lungs emitting a loud sound. That’s how it all started. However; when the statisticians broke it all down, the times he used this grunting technique as opposed to when he did not, created a negative correlation on the serves that actually were in the service box. So, when he grunted he had less success in first serves. Try to tell that to Serena or Venus Williams, or the worst of the lot, and most distracting, this Victoria Azarenka. She has a scream that sounds like a tomcat, whose tail is being stepped on. The trouble with her “Scream” is that it lasts so long, that the ball is in her opponent’s court when it’s over. Where do you draw the line, it’s suppose to be a sound that RESULTS as a secondary by product from muscle contraction, and that would mean it’s over in a half a second. Not, whooo ooo oo ooo ewe ooo oo ew oooo ewooooooooEEEoooooooooooooooooooooooo. I think they (USPTA, USTA) should make a rule that if an “Audio emission” or “Scream” lasts long enough that it extends so long so that it’s still audible when the ball is in your opponent’s court, it’s illegal! But, what do I know; I’m just a tennis pro, with an opinion! Just bring tennis back to the reality of making it about the game, the concentration and the thrill of competition, instead of bouncing the ball 17 times before you serve, and shouting a scream t than is distracting to your opponents. Everyone will thank the “Rules committee” and tennis will be a better sport with less BS.
Don’t make me come down there,
The “Tennis Pro”
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