Grunting, taking too long to serve, drop shots... What's your tennis ick?
Tennis players usually shake hands after a match as a way to acknowledge each other's efforts and enforce some sort of camaraderie between them.
But most of the time, what happens during a match is something tennis players don't always remain appreciative of each other and they have developed a distaste for actions taken by a fellow pro that they think is not within the spirit of fair play.
Ahead of the 2023 US Open, ATP and WTA stars shared their tennis icks in a short video shared by the tournament's official account on X. Second seed Novak Djokovic says he is 'annoyed' when players grunt. Djokovic adds that grunting causes too much noise, which is hilariously funny considering that he was penalized not long ago for hindrance due to an extended grunt.
Tunisia's Ons Jabeur is not a fan of players clinching fists and being their own personal motivators shouting 'come on'. Jabeur, like Djokovic, is 'annoyed' by players who frequent this behavior and joked that opponents shouldn't learn of her tennis ick.
"I generally am someone who gets ready fast for points. So in general sometimes I just get bored when people get ready for the serve too long, because I stay there on the return. I'm like let's wait, let's wait, let's wait (laughing). But it's normal. We have timings, someone takes more time, someone takes less."— Medvedev reveals his tennis ick
American Top-10 player Frances Tiafoe is in the same boat as Medvedev, and is not fond of waiting when he wants to serve, something fellow compatriot Jessica Pegula hates.
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova gets angrier when opponents take too much time between points, while World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz - who loves playing with a smile on his face - is probably not going to smile at serve and volley players.
WTA No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka does not like drop shots. And Iga Swiatek who goes against the grain here, feels she ought to have more time between points so she can grab a towel before getting ready for the next point.
Grunting, taking too long to serve, drop shots... What's your tennis ick?