Muting tennis spectators has been one of the most revered rules in sports, but many top players say they would be ready for a new sound.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic, one of the most conscious crowd-pleasers in tennis, recognizes the assets other sports have for fan engagement.
'When I'm watching other sports I see, for example, in N.B.A., how it works, and how entertaining it is for the crowd to see big screens and always something happening in the timeouts when they're not playing,' he said. 'And even during play, you're able to scream, shout, whistle, do whatever you like.'
Andy Murray said players could adjust to louder surroundings.
'I think to be honest, players would get used to it if it was kind of loud all of the time,' he said. 'It's just when it's very quiet and then someone makes a noise, or when everyone is sitting down and someone stands up behind the court, then it's off-putting. But if people were moving around all of the time and always making noise, then the players would adjust.'
Murray acknowledged there were limits to what noise would be tolerable because tennis players need to be able to hear. 'We use our ears a lot to hear the spin that's on the ball or how hard it's coming at us, as well as our eyes,' he said. 'When there is a lot of noise or very loud music, it's quite hard to time the ball or know exactly how quick a ball is coming at you or with what spin. But yeah, I don't mind a bit of noise, so long as it's constant, really.'
Murray dealt with unexpected noise during his third-round match at the Western & Southern Open last week, when audio of an ESPN interview with Serena Williams blasted across his court, drawing laughs from the crowd and Murray himself when Williams said that he was her favorite player to watch because she related to how he often acted 'like a baby.'
The United States Open, which begins next Monday, stands out among the tennis tournaments for its sensory overload.
'I think we're all prepared that at the U.S. Open it's just loud and big and crowded,' Agnieszka Radwanska said. 'And nothing is going to change, I guess.'
Maria Sharapova, whose shrieking makes her one of the loudest players during points, said that she enjoyed feeding off the raucousness of the Flushing Meadows crowds.
'As the match goes on, of course you expect a few more people to get a bit more buzzed than at the beginning, which is normal,' she said. 'I actually quite like it, because you feel the energy, and they're not so shy anymore.
'You also have to understand, a bunch of people come to a tennis match for their very first time, without knowing what's going on - a good percentage of the stadium. And those are always fun, because you hear them more than the others.'
Players on outer courts frequently deal with noise infiltrating their court, whether it is music or announcements from the main court, a crowd bursting into applause after a point on an adjacent court, or even a nearby competitor grunting loudly.
Mike Bryan, who, like most doubles players, plays many matches outside the main stadium, said players were able to tune out such distractions.
'Everyone is good enough to block that stuff out,' he said. 'I think if it's better for the fans, grows the game, it's all positive.'
Mike's twin brother, Bob, added that discussions on how to increase crowds for doubles matches had included proposals allowing fans to talk during play and to enter, exit and move about the stands freely.
Djokovic, though, drew a line at significant amplification during points.
'We can't go that far, in terms of interaction during the play,' he said. 'But in the changeovers, between the sets, why not? I think the show is something that is also part of the sport, and something that attracts more attention from the crowd, and attracts more people, so I think it's a win-win situation in a way.'
Djokovic commended the efforts of United States Open organizers to keep crowds entertained with music and fan games during breaks in play, but he said he also appreciated the contrasting atmospheres on the tour.
'The U.S. Open does a good job in this way, but of course at Wimbledon, you will never see that,' he said. 'The beauty of the sport is also because you have different events that have their own tradition and history that they nurture and respect. Wimbledon, of course, has its tradition that is defining that tournament. You think about Wimbledon, you think about all white, that Centre Court, strawberries and cream, so forth. The U.S. Open is more entertainment, more show.'
Roger Federer, a five-time United States Open champion and a seven-time champion at Wimbledon, said there was far more variability in the crowds he found in New York, which he attributed to Wimbledon having only day sessions.
'The way the people clap at Wimbledon, it's consistent throughout,' he said. 'I'd say if it's a first set or a final set, it just gets slightly louder. Whereas the U.S. Open I find that there, it's cool to be at the U.S. Open, cool to watch the U.S. Open, but they're waiting for something to happen. They won't start clapping just right off the bat. So you feel there is a little pressure here and there. And then night is electric and really has the potential to go wild. Whereas the day session can go too, but there you need the swings of momentum, the five-set thriller, for the fans to get into it.'
Tomas Berdych, who reached his lone Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2010, said he preferred the hushed quiet of that tournament's Centre Court to the constant hum of Arthur Ashe Stadium at Flushing Meadows.
'Honestly, myself, I prefer the British crowds, London crowds,' he said. 'I think it's very special for tennis. When you stand on the baseline and start to bounce the ball, probably everybody can hear that. And then when you finish the rally, all the people are into it - probably that's the best feeling in tennis. I'm not saying it's bad in New York, definitely not. It's very unique, very special atmosphere, because to play on the stadium where it could be over 20,000 people, it's not really a daily experience. But they are a bit more loud.'
Berdych, who is No. 5, added that if crowd noise were encouraged between points, players would need more time than the current limit of 20 seconds to let it to subside. Time limits between points have been enforced more strictly in recent years to improve pace of play.
'If somebody wants to have more entertainment in our sport, then you cannot have this 20 seconds,' he said. 'It's really impossible to be loud during play, because this is a sport which really needs to be quiet. I would compare it to golf, and I would say it's even tougher.'
Golfers, Berdych said, have time to prepare for a shot and address the ball 'and be much more focused.'
'But we need to do that much more quickly, so we really need quiet in the play,' he said. 'But then after, O.K., let the people go crazy and wild even longer. But we need more time.'
Ernests Gulbis, one of the most outspoken players on tour, said that tennis should be appreciated for what it is, and that those seeking other forms of entertainment could find it elsewhere.
'Honestly? If I go to watch tennis, I want to watch tennis,' Gulbis said. 'If I want to go watch basketball, I'm going to go watch basketball. I don't care about those dancers; I don't care about those fireworks. I'm a basketball fan, and I go to watch it. If I go to theater, I want to watch the theater. I don't want to watch how the lights change in the upper part. It's exactly the same thing. You want to see dancing: Go to a nightclub; go to a bar.
'A tennis court is a tennis court. You don't bring chips; you don't bring drinks. It's part of respecting the players, respecting what they do. And if you want to do it after, go afterwards to a bar, no problem.'
Marion Bartoli, above, will be in the royal box when Sabine Lisicki opens the women's tournament on Wimbledon's Centre Court on Tuesday. Photograph: Scott Heavey/AELTC/EPA
By Becky Middleton, Chief Reporter
