WTA can no longer turn deaf ear to grunters

By Pritha Sarkar

LONDON (Reuters) - After a week of shrieks, wails and squeals dominating the headlines at Wimbledon, outgoing WTA chief Larry Scott said the tour could no longer turn a deaf ear to the grunting phenomenon that has swept women's tennis.

Instead of marvelling at the quality of the forehands and backhands, shriek-hunters have crammed courts to monitor the ear-splitting sounds from the likes of Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka or new kid on the block Michelle Larcher de Brito.

"I've been used to hearing that controversy this fortnight over 20 years. The other 50 weeks of the year I would not say it has been a significant issue," Scott, who leaves his post at the end of this month after six months at the helm, told reporters.

"(But) this year it has expanded beyond that. At Roland Garros, I agree, we started hearing about this and reading about it in a way we hadn't before outside Wimbledon. Based on that we have started a process of looking at it more carefully."

Larcher de Brito, a 16-year-old Portuguese teenager, created a commotion at Roland Garros with her howls.

It provided the perfect opportunity for British tabloid newspapers to think up noise metaphors about police sirens, aircraft taking off and bull elephants bellowing.

Scott said the tour wanted the focus to return to tennis so officials will be keeping a close eye on noise levels.

"There are rules in place. There are hindrance rules. Chair umpires are empowered to issue warnings, point penalties if there is a feeling that it's gamesmanship affecting play.