Do you think in professional fans should be made to be silent while a match is happening? That’s what tradition in the sport dictates but society is no longer subtle, demure and polite. Things are now more aggressive and fast nowadays and while change should be welcomed, is it always necessary.
In New York at the US Open the noise factor at this year’s tournament has gone through the roof and more players have been commenting about noise but it’s not just noise there is also heckling going on. That is not something you would see or hear at Wimbledon, at the French Open it is an occurrence but at the US Open the public feel it is their right to behave in a third class manner.
Australian Bernie Tomic was being goaded so much during his first round that he lost it with the person bugging him and shouted abuse back at him. Tomic did apologise; I probably would not have because it was this moron who created the situation. Tomic was later fined $US10,000 which I believe is excessive as he was the one being verbally bashed.
If you ask a New Yorker to keep it down they will probably turn into Robert de Niro: “You talking to me? You talking to me?”
What people forget that in tennis seeing the ball is not all there is in striking the ball for the return. Hearing the sound of the ball leaving an opponent’s racquet helps gauging the speed, spin, angles etc. New Yorker could not give two hoots. They have paid for a ticket and as far as they are concerned that provides them with carte blanche to do what they want. Wrong!
“We use our ears when we play, it's not just the eyes,” Murray said. “It helps us pick up the speed of the ball, the spin that's on the ball, how hard someone's hitting it. You know, if we played with our ears covered or with headphones on, it would be a big advantage if your opponent wasn't wearing them. You know, it's tricky. You know, you can still do it, but it's harder, for sure.”
American tennis crowds think they are at a basketball match or the ice hockey so some other crass, aggressive sport. I hate the way American crowds behave. They can still have a good time without their brash awful behaviour but they choose not to.
“It's definitely different because everywhere you play is really quiet,” Serena Williams said. “Here it's super loud. The first match, it was definitely something I got used to, so today was a little easier. So hopefully I'll just get used to the noise, (but) it's very, very loud out there.
Andy Murray said conditions are “definitely louder”. Certainly the new roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium has added to noise changes but its not just that.
“Yeah it's definitely quieter at Wimbledon, though,” he added
So when the chair umpire says “Quiet Please” there is a reason for it, take some notice and try and not be uncouth like many of the fans in New York.
