Helicopter noise disrupts Australian Open Tennis
 

Noise from a Helicopter caused concern at the Australian Open this evening.

It was pictured hovering for the duration of two games and players complained. Coaches were seen signaling to players, apparently suggesting that the game be paused.

It is wasn’t a broadcast or police chopper.

It was not “directly overhead” the areas as claimed by the commentators, although it gave the impression it was!

I was a spectator at the same arena (Hisense) two nights ago and the Melbourne Cricket Ground the night before, without any obtrusive helicopter incidents.


Mjb

There's already plenty of noise coming from a train marshalling yard on one side of the arena and an OD truck route on the other side (Swan St).

Agree it's not fine form to hover over such sensitive areas... unless it was PolAir on business.

Surely they mean made tennis more entertaining? It's one of the dullest sports on earth.

In the post match interview, the winner, Nick Kyrgios agreed that they couldn’t hear the ball hit the racquet.
Former player and commentator Jim Courier said they had not experienced such intrusive helicopter noise.
There were several other off-court distractions to this game that also received full attention, that ultimately made for a more colourful broadcast.


Mjb

The train yards are below the building level and sound is minimal: a hovering (or orbiting) helicopter will put blade noise down into the stadium through the open roof and such noise will be amplified significantly.

It was a red helicopter, colour scheme of a local operator but not necessarily from that company. Not too long ago (OK, 15 years?!) there was a restricted area over the Melbourne Tennis Centre for the duration of the Open: that was lifted on the understanding that local operators used some CDF and kept clear. It would seem that someone has lost a bit of corporate knowledge and put us all in the doghouse: expect a reintroduction of the restricted area?

And for the tennis snowflakes to complain they can't hear the ball hit the racquet while they allow grunting by their own players specifically done to mask the same sound smacks of hypocrisy of the highest order!

Maybe the helicopter was there to mask the sound of the grunting?

:mad::mad:Monica Seles is retired I believe :p

Ascend Charlie. Bravo. :D

I recall a tournament, US Open, when John McEnroe and Vitas Gerulaitis were playing and the noise from aircraft flying overhead were audible even on TV. The announcers made some comment about it, and I seem to recall that McEnroe went to the umpire's chair to kvetch about it. (I think the wind direction had something to do with the pattern/approaches the planes were flying, but this is nearly 4 decades ago). Then again, McEnroe would complain about nearly anything ...

Grunting is an issue few players seem to understand, there is a WTA law umpires can invoke to silence excessive grunters. (todays "Australian)

Memories of disturbing the Quens official lunch.
 

RAF Royal review at Finningly.
I was wearing a Media/Press hat for a full week covering the Royal Review
in 1977.

Was on some Air to ground photography in a Puma during the Morning of the review.
Come lunch time there was a break in all activities when I and a few others were offered an extra ad-hoc Puma flight for some more Air to Ground pics.

So off we go flying around above all the layouts when we were told to hold on for a very quick landing.
Turned out the Queen or someone else of importance complained that the Puma noise was disturbing the Queens lunch enjoyment!!!

So that was that, but I still got some good extra Pics from the aborted flight.

I personally followed this with an action where I upstaged the complete Royal/VIP viewing group during the flying display the same afternoon.
How did I do this? will have to wait for a few years yet, applying my own 50 year embargo. Fear of the Tower of London dungeon.!!!!!!!!!! :uhoh::mad:

OPF