Sharapova's unsporting behaviour should be officially censured

There are few sportsmen or women as irritating as Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova. It's bad enough that's she comes across as a self-absorbed prancing prima donna. It's far worse to have to sit and be jarred by the scream she lets out at every stroke, instead of being able to watch her match in comfort. I know for sure that I am not the only one to walk away at the first Sharapova scream.

Of course, it's likely it does not matter to Sharapova what the spectator thinks about her play, as long as long as she ends up on the winner's dais. Well, this is just the point: the scream constitutes a tactic. If spectators are put off by the scream - and there are many - it's likely that the player on the other side of the net is similarly affected.

Former doubles champion Todd Woodbridge said on 3AW this morning that Australian tennis officials at the Open requested he not be critical of the Russian prima donna. She doesn't like it, they said.

A bit of backbone, for heaven's sake! The officials should warn her formally about her unsporting behaviour and somebody (an adult) from her group should tell her to grow up and stop behaving like a school girl.