Ashleigh Barty’s opening Australian Open win has been marred by her opponent Aryna Sabalenka’s screeching, prompting a mocking rebuke from the Rod Laver Arena crowd.
Barty was composure personified to come from a set down and advance to the Australian Open second round, beating the Belarussian 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, but the match will be remembered more for open revolt in the stands over Sabalenka’s grunts and screeches.
Controversy over shrieks and grunts in tennis is nothing new. But some experts reckon grunting is gamesmanship that could be labelled as cheating.
The 19-year-old Sabalenka showcased all facets of her game in going a set up over the Australian 18th seed — showing superb aggression and enterprise on the court — but the world number 66’s vocals rubbed up crowd members and TV audiences the wrong way.
It reached a stage where, between points, Barty looked up to her coaches box and mouthed the words “she’s so loud” as things got tense on centre court.
Grunting and screeching remains an issue in the game, with the likes of Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and the Williams sisters all prominent vocalists on the court.
But on Tuesday night in Melbourne, revolution was in the air. Members of the partisan crowd began openly mocking Sabalenka’s screams between points, as Barty — silent in comparison — shook her head.
The mock screams forced the umpire to request the crowd to desist as a courtesy to the players. The sense of irony was not lost on the crowd, who jeered louder in response.
Forced to weather Sabalenka’s hard hitting, Barty held on to break in the second set before levelling the match at a set apiece, before finally getting into her stride in the third to take out the win.
Asked if her opponent’s grunts had affected her, Barty told the media she had been fully prepared for it.
“I think if something that small can irritate you, that’s a bigger issue in itself,” she said.
“I knew it was coming. I was prepared for it.
“I mean, obviously in the first couple of games, you get used to it. Everyone has a bit of a different grunt. But, no, you get used to it.”

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