Spectators arriving at Wimbledon this week may notice that "one noise will be missing," according to the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Namely, the 110-decibel cry of a certain blonde Russian, "whose grunts (supposedly as loud as a pneumatic drill) have attracted scores of complaints over the years." Maria Sharapova "was banned from tennis for two years after testing positive for the drug meldonium." Nowhere "will Sharapova's absence be felt more than at Wimbledon." This "is where she burst on to the scene in 2004, aged 17, beating defending champion Serena Williams to win the title." This year "she will not even be allowed on the grounds and the All England Club is considering revoking her lifetime membership." BBC commentator Andrew Castle said, "It's a hell of a way for her Wimbledon story to come to an end. She was still capable of winning, so it weakens the tournament not to have her here. That said, it is fantastic for the game that she's not -- it shows tennis is taking drugs seriously. Her two-year ban should stay."
Many in the locker room "would concur." But even if her competitors will not miss Sharapova, "some fans on social media have said it will not be the same and claim they will not watch Wimbledon without her" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 6/28).
