Grunting By Tennis Players An Issue With Wimbledon Approaching

Some Of Larcher De Brito's Opponents Have Complained About Her Loud Grunts

The "extreme grunting" by female tennis players has once again become an issue, as "opponents say it's throwing them off (and) fans saying it's getting out of control," according to ABC's David Muir. Tennis player Michelle Larcher de Brito's grunts during the recently-completed French Open "could be heard three courts away, and one of her opponents complained to the umpire." Larcher de Brito was "later booed off the court." Muir: "But with Larcher de Brito heading to Wimbledon, tennis officials are calling foul, trying to decide what to do about what seems to be a growing number of grunts." Officials already have the ability to "force a player to forfeit a point, but the question now is, should they ask for even more?" However, there is the issue of "who determines if that noise is natural or a nuisance, designed to throw off the other player?" USA Today columnist Christine Brennan: "It sounds like it's gotten completely out of hand. It was one thing with Monica Seles a good 10, 15 years ago. We got used to that and there was Maria Sharapova, but this is a whole new level. When you're comparing a tennis player's grunt with the decibel level of a lion's roar, I think it's gotten out of hand" ("World News," ABC, 6/14).