Sharapova, be warned – they’re on to your grunt.
The Women’s Tennis Association said that it is working with Grand Slam tournament organisers and the International Tennis Federation to get rid of “excessive grunting” from the game of tennis.
The plan is for all umpires to be kitted out with grunt-o-meters so they can gauge just how high – or excessive – players are grunting or shrieking.
Earlier in the year, the WTA said it was on the search for a way to deter players from grunting saying that "some fans find it bothersome."
USA Today reported the plan includes developing a device for umpires to measure grunting during matches, and a rule to set limits on how much noise is acceptable.
Maria Sharapova – the world’s No.1 ranked tennis player – is one of the ‘gruntiest’ grunters in the game. She was recorded at 105 decibels - equivalent to standing less than a metre from a chainsaw - in 2009.
If players break a set limit they could be forced to replay a point or have points docked, although the penalties for breaking the rules have not yet been established, according to the Telegraph reported.
Officials said the changes will not affect the current generation of professional players, because they would have to alter their style or change their breathing techniques. But the rules will be introduced at all levels of junior and lower-tier events, the Telegraph reported.
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