Russia's Maria Sharapova talks to the press during a press conference, to announce her withdrawal from the Dubai Tennis Championships due to a viral illness, on the second day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 26, 2008.
Photo: Reuters
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
A Girl Punished for Grunting like Sharapova
The Mount Carmel Tennis Club of Australia has expelled Lauryn Edwards, 9, for grunting like Maria Sharapova of Russia.
The girl named Maria Sharapova as her favorite tennis player and claimed that grunting helped her play better.
The girl was banned from playing tennis by her local club after a complaint from an opposing player a fortnight ago, news.com.au reported.
The girl’s father, Duncan Edwards, said the club asked him to guarantee that Lauryn would remain silent on the court or she wouldn’t play, but he couldn’t give such guarantee.
Mr Edwards said his daughter started playing tennis when she was four and she was always grunting when hitting the ball.
"What do they want me to do? Put Band-Aids over her mouth? They made her cry on the court when they told her. She was in such a state I had to bring her home mid-match," the father said as quoted by news.com.au.
The girl had been named “Lauryn Sharapova” by her former coach. Mount Carmel Tennis Club Vice President Paul Hackett refused to comment on the issue.
www.kommersant.com
|
|
|
