Victoria Azarenka has admitted that she has become annoyed with constant questions about her grunting.
The former world number one, who was knocked out by Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, is renowned for her high-pitched grunt, which amused many spectators on Centre Court yesterday.
However, the two-time Australian Open champion failed to see the funny side and insisted that it is part of the game.
She is quoted as saying by The Telegraph: "You know, I'm so tired of these questions all the time. It's so annoying because guys grunt. I was practising next to [Rafael] Nadal, and he grunts louder than me, and nobody notices that. Why? I don't understand why.
"The women on the court both trying their hardest and giving everything they have, and they make a noise. Is that a problem of tennis? It happens in every sport.
"So I think maybe it's time to just put it aside and not talk about it all the time because this is not what is important when there are two players playing on the Centre Court."
Azarenka lost the match 3-6 6-2 6-3
