Grunting and Possible Gamesmanship Can Ruin a Friendship

Written by: Staff on 24th February 2012

Grunting and Possible Gamesmanship Can Ruin a Friendship

Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in action during her women's singles fourth round match against Julia Goerges of Germany at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2012. EPA/MAST IRHAM |

Clearly a week has done little to quell Agnieszka Radwanska’s anger at her former good friend, world no.1 Victoria Azarenka. The sixth ranked Pole stormed off court with a face like thunder following last week’s semi-final defeat at the Qatar Total Open and after reaching the same stage at the Dubai Duty Free Championships, she is still feeling less than magnanimous.

The root of Radwanska’s displeasure was the reaction of Azarenka when she injured her left ankle. After holding up play for several minutes for treatment, the Australian Open champion still managed to be sufficiently mobile to win the match in straight sets and a day later claim the title.

Regardless of the fact Azarenka was forced to pull out of the Dubai event with related ankle problems, Radwanska said: “After that match, I just lost a lot of respect. That’s it.”

Following her 6-2, 6-4 defeat in the third match the pair have played this year, Radwanska offered only a cursory handshake to the victor, choosing not to look at Azarenka.

Clearly Radwanska believed Azarenka was not as badly hurt as it seemed and she added: “I was angry because what was going on there, I don’t think this is the great image for the women’s tennis.”

But the good relations between the two players who once socialized together on a regular basis and even took vacations together, soured a month ago in Melbourne was Radwanska was highly critical of the grunting fraternity in women’s tennis.

Azarenka is of course one of the loudest and Radwanska said she would support a change to the WTA rules that would prohibit excessive grunting.

Admittedly Radwanska did say she had become used to Azarenka’s shrill banshee like wail from years of playing against her, but insisted Maria Sharapova’s scream was too much.

Gruntometers in Melbourne registered Azarenka’s wail at 91.4 decibels. Sharapova is understood to have reached 98.