It should come as no surprise that women's tennis is more popular than men's tennis. The only thing that beats a nubile young pubescent girl romping around the court is a grunting and moaning nubile young pubescent girl romping around the court. But now the snooty tennis elite want to keep them from moaning and grunting.

Grunting noises made by female tennis players as they strike the ball are getting out of hand, and rules should be changed to crack down on the practice, Wimbledon referee Alan Mills has said, according to a report on Sunday.

Mills, Wimbledon's chief official for 22 years who retires after this week's tournament, which begins on Monday, told The Sunday Times he believed coaches were teaching young women players to grunt.

"I don't like it at all. Today there is probably more grunting than there has ever been," he said.

"If I was playing an opponent making so much noise, I think I'd just laugh. But it's what young players are being coached to do.

"Many of the non-grunting players are unhappy about the noise pollution and a kind of counter-grunt culture has emerged in recent years whereby offended parties ape their opponent's noises." [...]

One of the loudest of the modern grunters is defending women's champion Maria Sharapova, who, according to the paper, makes a 100-decibel grunt, roughly the same volume as small aircraft landing nearby.

So are those close to the sport deliberately trying to sell sex? Well if CNN is any guide:

(Click to see Sultry Maria Sharapova Photos)

I had to chuckle at the number two sports story of the day. Who needs basketball playoffs when you've got "Sultry Maria Sharapova Photos". CNN later changed the headline to something less chauvinistic.