You always hear the complaints about Maria and Vika’s extreme grunting and shrieking, but why doesn’t anyone ever complain when the mens players grunt and groan? There are some notorious sound effects coming from the ATP Tour though we won’t name any names.
Monica Seles is being wooed to play an exhibition with a local top player down here in Sarasota, this guy named Eric Luxembourg recently beat former WTA pro Tiffany Dabek 63 63 in a “Battle of the Sexes” showdown in Sarasota, for a reported four-figure sum. Word around the courts is that the promoters and sponsors are trying to get Seles to play this guy Eric. I’ve seen Eric play, he’s very good with a super serve but I’m not sure he’s all that good.
The Bryans showed some spectacular doubles in coming from 2-5 down in the third set tiebreak to beat Lindstrom/Tecau, there were many amazing shots made in this match, hope some of you got to see it.
What do you eat between matches when you have to play twice in the same day? I always eat a cup of that Greek yogurt, either Chobana or La Fage, it has more protein and is very easy to digest. Highly recommend it. Wish I knew then what I know now – in the semis of the NJ State 35s a few years ago I had to finish the quarterfinal and wait an hour and ate a bag of mixed nuts. What a mistake, my stomach was bloated because, I learned later, nuts are very hard to digest. Yogurt is the best option in my opinion, anybody have any better ideas?
Just picked up a pair of these Wilson Trances at Tenniswarehouse.com for $49.95, they feel soft especially around the achilles and ankle, and the sole is very thick herringbone, asolutely perfect for clay. I’m loving these new kicks.
I’m reading “A Terrible Splendor” by Marshall Jon Fisher and liking it a lot. Adore the old era stories about tennis, Budge, Von Cramm were the Federer and Nadal’s of their day.
Quite a few people at the courts today said they woke up at 3:30 to watch the big Rafa-Roger showdown, do you think people would wake up that early to watch the Super Bowl or World Series? I sure as heck wouldn’t.
I thought Patrick McEnroe was absolutely fantastic doing the match today, loved his read on the dynamics of the match and his conclusion that it’s “almost boring” for Federer to play monotonous, keep going to the backhand tactical tennis. Cahill, Evert, Drysdale, Fowler have all been superb to my ears too.
Leander Paes is still alive down under, in the mixed and mens dubs. The Indian is just a marvel.
Speaking of doubles, who do you think might become the next dominant team like the Woodies and the Bryans? I’m stumped.
Azarenka really impressed me with her defeat of Clijsters, that was maybe the best I’ve ever seen her play in a major.
Maria Kirilenko is now using Yonex, as are Tomic and Wawrinka, but Nalbandian has apparently been dropped. Did you know that Makiri’s new boyfriend is the NHL superstar Alexander Ovechkin?
I picked up a framed, signed photo of Maria Sharapova in her service motion at Roland Garros for just $6.99 at a Goodwill down here. A friend of mine has been badgering for her autograph for five years but I’ve always been afraid to risk losing my credential to ask her for it. I have never asked a single tennis player for an autograph since asking Chris Evert when I was seven years old. Lost it too, by the way.
Ever done the drill of playing shadow tennis on the beach? Take your racquet to the beach and actually pretend you’re on court and play imaginary points on the beach, either barefoot or with sneakers on. It really makes your legs stronger and quicker. I feel clearly quicker on the court after doing it four times in two weeks. And I beat a strong player today who I had never beaten before, 63 63 on clay. Felt as quick as a cat. Seriously, you should try it if you want to work on foot speed. Don’t mind if the beachgoers think you’re nuts, tennis is serious business!
It’s getting late, time for sleep, talk to you later, when the Murray-Djokovic match starts…
karl rosenstock · January 27, 2012 at 2:09 am
I see a big difference between grunting and screeching. Seles had a brief double grunt. Rafa has a healthy grunt. Vika and Pova both have a high pitched. lud and lengthy screech which appears to be used for the sake of hindrance purposes. After all, Pova does not screech during her practice sessions. The two finalists have been measured at 105 db and 100 db, respectively. Did you see the funny bit in Vika’s match where she requested that the crowd be quieted?
karl rosenstock · January 27, 2012 at 2:11 am
*loud, not lud or lewd…
Scoop Malinowski · January 27, 2012 at 2:54 pm
Karl welcome to the site, I hit with a coach down here recently who actually grunts at his contact and also at the other player’s contact! Two grunts, he says it helps him hone in better for timing the ball. I tried it and it does indeed help. But the grunt at the opponent’s hit is not as loud though it is audible. Hope Vika and Sharapova don’t ever get this idea or the purists will go even more bananas!
Scoop Malinowski · January 27, 2012 at 2:56 pm
I dont mind the grunting of Vika or Maria at all, it sounds like passion and an expression of their wills to win. Also didn’t mind when Ana Ivanovic tried that squeaky shoes bit a few years ago in Australia right when her opponent was going into her serve motion, that seemed like a subtle distraction attempt! Fortunately it didn’t work and she promptly stopped doing it.
Michael · January 28, 2012 at 11:18 pm
“I dont mind the grunting of Vika or Maria at all, it sounds like passion and an expression of their wills to win.
Oh the passion. The will to win. Constant Fist pumping. Constant come on. The weird mannerisms. Turning your back to the opponent after every point. And on and on.
The WTA needs to do something before Scoop who doesn’t mind it is the last one watching.
Raise your hands if you made it through that screetchfest in a single sitting or at all for that matter. Anyone ? Bueller ?
And for Sharapova to say “no one important” has complained yet is dismissive of the fans.
Scoop Malinowski · January 29, 2012 at 12:05 am
The grunting and shrieking doesn’t bother me, actually appreciate the efforts, they are putting all their heart and soul into each shot, a lifetime of sacrifice to be in that moment. I really think they are just giving it their all, not trying to distract the opponent with their noisemaking. When Djokovic and Nadal grunt and groan why doens’t anyone complain? These players are laying it all on the line, tennis is a brutally physical sport, if you don’t play tournaments against really tough players you really don’t understand how intense tennis can be. Magnify it by about ten times at the pro level. I see some players in USTA tournaments who grunt and groan, play with so much intensity. Every player is different.
Michael · January 29, 2012 at 12:37 am
“When Djokovic and Nadal grunt and groan why doens’t anyone complain? ”
Almost all the women grunt. And many of the guys.
Check out my new Kirilenko video :
http://youtu.be/X2QdZHtXDKM
I have a Larcher di Brito video I might post but even though the US hasn’t signed on I’m still concerned about the reach of the International Criminal Court.
However, the nature of the sounds coming from Maria/Vika take it to an entirely different and problematic level.
And while can’t precisely define why just yet, I know it when I hear it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_know_it_when_I_see_it