Female tennis players at Wimbledon.

[Silver Fox]

Especially Ms Sharapova, why must they make the grunts and groans everytime they hit the ball.

Starts to irritate after a while, still nice to look at though.

 

[Archie_tect]

It does get irritating sometimes, could turn the sound off then you don't get the commentary either [never been the same since Dan Maskell stopped]

 

[ASC1951]

Especially Ms Sharapova, why must they make the grunts and groans everytime they hit the ball.

It's bad sportsmanship. They only do it in matches, too, not in practice games.

 

[Ravenbait]

Especially Ms Sharapova, why must they make the grunts and groans everytime they hit the ball.

Starts to irritate after a while, still nice to look at though.

Do the men do it too?

I don't watch tennis, so I have no idea, but I'm sure I've seen games in which men were grunting and groaning and yelling.

Do you also find the men nice to look at, or is their tennis skill more important than the aesthetic quality of their outfits ?

Sam

 

[benb]

Close your eyes, and pretend you're watching listening to pr0n

 

[mcshroom]

Do the men do it too?

I don't watch tennis, so I have no idea, but I'm sure I've seen games in which men were grunting and groaning and yelling.

Do you also find the men nice to look at, or is their tennis skill more important than the aesthetic quality of their outfits ?

Sam

The volume of grunts/shrieks in the womens game is definately of a different order of magnitude to the mens game. There is something about being taught to breathe out as you hit the ball which is suggested for the reason behind the grunts and groans, but in some cases (Ms Sharapova for example) it's as much an affectation as a practiced skill.

As for the attractiveness or otherwise of the players, Mr Lopez who played Andy Murray was getting quite a lot of interest from the women in our office a couple days ago, rather more for the picture of him practicing shirtless in the paper than anything to do with his tennis ability.

 

[Melonfish]

Close your eyes, and pretend you're watching listening to pr0n

LMAO! i've got to admit it is just plain wrong isn't it?
has anyone ever found out definitively why they do it? i don't buy into this rubbish about adding more power to the shot thats utter tosh.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

LMAO! i've got to admit it is just plain wrong isn't it?
has anyone ever found out definitively why they do it? i don't buy into this rubbish about adding more power to the shot thats utter tosh.

Don't martial arts experts let out a grunt or something when they strike, for that very reason?

 

[Crackle]

Was it Monica Seles who began it all?

 

[Mad at urage]

Don't martial arts experts let out a grunt or something when they strike, for that very reason?

Some say it's that, others that it is to distract your opponent - a bit like in tennis really .

 

[Adasta]

Do you also find the men nice to look at, or is their tennis skill more important than the aesthetic quality of their outfits ?

Sam

What does it matter if people watch the tennis for the tennis or for the players involved?

Is there an inherent problem with the objectification of beauty?

 

[ttcycle]

Is there an inherent problem with the objectification of beauty?

yes and no

if the talking point becomes about the attractiveness of a woman rather than her tennis ability it is very pertinent. If watching the tennis is to perve rather than appreciate the game then it is pretty sad.
it isn't objectification of beauty but objectification of a person, independent of the other skills this person brings to the table.

 

[Adasta]

yes and no

if the talking point becomes about the attractiveness of a woman rather than her tennis ability it is very pertinent. If watching the tennis is to perve rather than appreciate the game then it is pretty sad.
it isn't objectification of beauty but objectification of a person, independent of the other skills this person brings to the table.

Ay, there's the rub.

I think the implication which rankles the most is that women are not guilty of watching a sport simply "to perve" on sportsmen. It happens; men and women both do it. I don't really see why it's a problem. However, feminist discourse can, at times, seem to penalise men and vindicate women for engaging in ostensibly the same activity.

I don't think it's wrong for a person - man or woman - to look at a sportsman (for example) and think "He's attractive." We all accept that it is his beauty which is being objectified in this instance. Nobody looks at a sportsman's body and immediately thinks "He's so handsome because he's a considerate father."

 

[Dayvo]

Close your eyes, and pretend you're watching listening to pr0n

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlimT34_TwY

 

[Adasta]

Impeccable timing, Dayvo!