Novak Djokovic rule needs to be applied to silence screaming Aryna Sabalenka
As Novak Djokovic fired a backhand down the line in his Wimbledon semi-final against Jannik Sinner last summer, he let out a roar of delight that he believed was a shot of pure perfection.
Sinner managed to get the ball back in play, but the point was halted seconds later after umpire Richard Haigh decided Djokovic’s scream was outside of the rules of the game and implemented the ‘hinderance’ rule to hand Sinner the point.
It was a moment that could have tiled the match in Sinner’s favour had Djokovic lost his cool, yet the Serbian had enough in his tank to secure a 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) win.
“What are you doing?”, said Djokovic as he reacted to the decision from umpire Haigh.
Djokovic went on to give his verdict on the call after the match as he added: “First of all, I have to accept the decision from a chair umpire. That’s it.
“It was quite a close call, I must say. I mean, it has never happened to me. I’ve never had a hindrance call for an extended grunt.
“I saw the replay. I saw that my grunt finished before he hit the shot. So I thought that the chair umpire’s call was not correct. I mean, my opinion. Again, you have to accept it.”
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It was a humble response from Djokovic and his claims of injustice are amplified each and every time Aryna Sabalenka strikes a ball in anger on court.
Sabalenka took her revenge against Coco Gauff to make it back-to-back Australian Open finals.
Gauff denied Sabalenka a second Grand Slam title of the year with victory in the US Open final last summer but her winning run at the majors came to an end with a 7-6 (2) 6-4 defeat under the roof on Rod Laver Arena.
It was a power-packed display from Sabalenka, but the noise she created on the court was also a talking point once again.
The Belarusian doesn’t grunt on court as she violently screams every time she hits the ball and the noise she makes appears to lift in volume when she gets tense or tight in a match.
Playing with the roof closed added to the volume of her screams, with the noise continuing well after she has hit the ball.
The hinerance rule reads as follows:
Any player who created the hindrance must be advised that the next time play is stopped by the Chair Umpire because of that player’s similar actions; it shall result in a loss of point.
Any distraction caused by a player may be ruled deliberate and result in the loss of a point (intentional or unintentional). Deliberate is defined as the player meant to do what it was that caused the hindrance or distraction.
Sabalenka’s deafening habit means she is committing almost the same ‘crime’ Djokovic was found guilty of at Wimbledon on every shot and yet there doesn’t seem to be any complaints from opponents or, more importantly, the umpires controlling her match.
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Guaff was asked about the noise Sabalenka makes during a match and offered up this diplomatic answer in her press conference in Melbourne.
“I mean, I played her a lot, so I can’t sit here and say that the grunt is distracting,” said Gauff.
“I don’t even know, it’s like the fifth time we have played.
“No, I don’t think so. I don’t notice, you know. I feel like at least with her it’s consistent, so it doesn’t bother me.
“I’ve played a player in the past where the grunt wasn’t consistent where they would grunt longer on purpose on 30-All or deuce point. If it’s consistent, I can’t really say anything about it.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to grunt while the person is hitting. Like I said, I didn’t notice it. When you play her, you know that’s what she’s going to do. I don’t think it’s a tactic or anything. I think that’s just how she plays tennis.
“If she did it extended on certain balls, then I would be like, okay, it’s ridiculous. No, I think that’s just her.”
Sabalenka’s audible explosions may not concern Guaff, but they certainly agitate many in the game.
Former British No 1 Jo Durie commented on the noise coming from Sabalenka during his stint in the Eurosport commentary box and a glance at X during the match confirmed there was as much discussion about the screams from the defending Australian Open champion as her sublime tennis.
If Djokovic was stopped for one scream at Wimbledon, how can Sabalenka be permitted to do the same time and again in her matches?
Tennis is a beautiful sport that is hard to watch when you need to turn the sounds down… and not because incompetent commentators are annoying you!
Sabalenka could control her emotions if tennis authorities came down on her hard, but it remains to be seen whether they have an appetite to do that.
