‘Champions Adjust’ – When Martina Navratilova Criticized the WTA for Taking Too Long to Curb Grunting From Players Like Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, and Others

Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest tennis players, gave an interview in 2009 where she indirectly called grunting a ‘cheating’ method. Interestingly, she has always been vocal about the excessive grunting of male and female players on the tour.

Later, she reiterated this fact and talked about many innovative ideas where grunting can be reduced. Moreover, she also criticized the WTA for taking too long to act on it.

Martina Navratilova talked about players grunting on the tour

In 2012, the CEO of the WTA, Stacey Allaster, gave a statement regarding some of the players, like Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and others grunting during matches. She was planning to “eliminate excessive grunting for the next generation. But [we’re] doing it in such a manner that it does not drive out our current players who have trained their entire lives the way they play today.”

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Replying to Allaster’s comments, Navratilova said, “Why wait that long — what’s the next generation, five years from now, 10 years from now?”

Later, Navratilova suggested that players should get a one-year warning before enforcing a penalty for grunting. She pointed out that this period would allow players to adjust to the new rule, saying, “You get used to it… champions adjust.”

Back in 2009, the 18-time Grand Slam champion said, “It is not direct cheating, but it is cheating in a way because you are making it difficult for the opponent to hear the ball hitting the racket and that should not be.”

In that interview, Navratilova believed that players will stop excessive grunting if they receive penalties.

Navratilova once called out Monica Seles for grunting

Notably, former American tennis star Monica Seles was one of the loudest grunters on the tour. During the 1992 Wimbledon semi-finals, Navratilova complained to the chair umpire about Seles’ grunting. After that, the 9-time Grand Slam champion somewhat lowered her grunting noises.

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Seles won that semi-final match against Navratilova to move to the final, where she faced Steffi Graf. Unfortunately, she lost the final against the German player. Later in her career, Seles opened up about reducing her grunting as one of her biggest regrets.

Meanwhile, grunting did not go away from the sport despite Navratilova’s many efforts, as many notable players like Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams grunt constantly throughout their matches.