Umpires allowed wider powers for Olympics (womens matches only)

The ITF Olympic Committee is expected to issue an official press release later today regarding conduct of players during the Women's Singles event to be held at the AELTC, Wimbledon later this month.

Despite several months of negotiations involving the WTA governing body, no clear agreement has yet been reached as to applicable sanctions in normal tour matches arising from any player being unreasonably distracted by excessive screeching, grunting, or related extraneous sounds emitted by an opponent whilst the ball is in play.

However, with average worldwide television viewing figures likely to be far greater for the Olympics than for any other event on the women's circuit, the ITF have felt obliged to protect the image of the sport, and will therefore authorise all chair officials to negate any perceived advantage of such screeching by either or both players. In practice this means the Umpire will have discretion to counter-balance with screeching of their own, as they see fit, at any stage during the course of a rally.

The proposed policy was trialled briefly at a recent clay event, some amateur leaked footage of which can be seen here ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwwVbT2as1w&feature=related

Good find, lags!

Thanks reckoner

I'd like to think you're not the only one (???) to have enjoyed the viewing.

Perhaps the mere mention of "womens matches" within a topic title is all it takes to put people off ....

Haha...just seen this.
This has become the principal reason I don't watch women's tennis anymore...what a racquet!