Tennis: Winner in the shouting match

Even if Monica Seles came out of retirement, and played another acknowledged shrieker, Maria Sharapova, their combined efforts would still not come close to the decibel levels achieved at the French Open by Michelle Larcher de Brito - a 16-year-old Portuguese qualifier who kept on emitting an enormous shriek-grunt-screech as she was beaten 7-6, 6-2 at Roland Garros yesterday.

This might well have been the loudest performance in the history of tennis, and it prompted her third-round opponent, France's Aravane Rezai, to complain to the umpire, and the crowd to boo and heckle.

"It's hard to play against a player screaming like that," Rezai said. "It really did upset me, because it was really unpleasant."

During a first-set changeover, Rezai told chair umpire Mohamed El Jennati: "For you, it's normal, maybe, but for me it's disturbing," then insisted that an official come to the court to assess the situation.

Larcher de Brito later said: "When I start winning, she complains. So it's a really weird coincidence."

Rezai occasionally mimicked Larcher de Brito's sounds. After they met for a halfhearted half-handshake at the net when the match ended, the crowd booed and whistled derisively at Larcher de Brito as the teen walked off the court.

"Wasn't too much of a great feeling," Larcher de Brito said. "It's kind of disappointing, but it's understandable, because she is a French player."