Teenage screams make them so hard to beat

Enthusiastic grunting is as much a part of the soundtrack of tennis as the patter of balls and the dulcet tones of the umpire. But that could be changing as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) is considering a ban on players emitting too much noise. At present there are no specific rules against over-enthusiastic emissions, although players can have a point awarded against them if the umpire feels they have hindered an opponent. However new proposals to make noise hindrance part of the ITF's code of conduct, could mean grunters could potentially forfeit a whole game or match.

One of the worst offenders on the current tour is Maria Sharapova, who at 101 decibels is almost as loud as a lion's 110-decibel roar. Monica Seles was not far behind as her groans reached 93.2 decibels with Serena Williams roaring in with 88.9 decibels and sister Venus just behind at 85 decibels. In last month's French Open, Aravane Rezai complained to the umpire about the noise emitting from another shrieker, 16-year-old player Michelle Larcher de Brito. Apparently the noise could be heard three courts over at Roland Garros. Larcher de Brito was given an unofficial warning, but the grunting continued, silenced only when the teen was beaten and she was booed off the court.

The Portuguese player has been given a wild card for Wimbledon but the code of conduct will not be in place for the start of the tournament. Referee Andrew Jarrett is well aware of the problem, seeing it as an issue mainly affecting the women's game. "The issue of grunting is covered by the hindrance rule and it is up to the official to make the judgment about whether it is a hindrance to the opponent or not," he said. "It is the high-pitched noise which seems to cause most debate, although there are plenty of men who grunt at a lower pitch." So the screaming queens will be allowed continue for the next few weeks at least.

It only stings when you're winning...

It's an eating contest with a sting in the tale. Last weekend saw the World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship, held in the Dorset village of Marshwood, with 65 people looking to chomp through the pain to gain the crown. According to the Daily Telegraph, like competitive hotdog eating, the key is to squash the leaves into tight little balls and try to throw them right in the back of the mouth. But unlike hotdogs you then try to munch them up and swallow with as little contact as possible. Competitors are served two-foot-long stalks of nettles from which they must pluck and devour the leaves.

The bare stalks are then measured and the winner, after an hour of eating, is the one with the greatest accumulated length, with the present world record being at 76 feet. The contest began more than 20 years ago when two customers at the Bottle Inn argued over who had the worst infestation of stinging nettles. Central to the competition is the quality and character of each season's nettles. Much is determined by the weather with lush, moist plants considered more palatable than the drier variety. Nearly all the big scores have been achieved after wet conditions. This year's male champion, Mike Hobbs, managed to consume 48ft of nettles, while the female winner also finished on the same length.

Chelios not ready for his dotage just yet

The oldest player in ice hockey isn't ready to skate away into the sunset just yet. Although the Detroit Red Wings aren't expected to re-sign him, 47-year-old Chris Chelios wants to stick around for another season. The defenceman, whose team lost in last weekend's game seven of the Stanley Cup finals, is the oldest player in the league but still has five years to go if he is to level the record held by Gordie Howe as the oldest active player ever. Chelios has played 24 seasons in the NHL, only missing the playoffs once in his career and is older than his current coach Mike Babcock. The secret to his longevity? He includes in his training ritual the riding of an exercise bike for up to 45 minutes in the sauna. Or an "aerobic wash," as he terms it.

The little victories of small, small men

It took a while, and a purchase of New York Yankees grass seeds, but a Yankees fan believes he has evened the score after a construction worker buried a Boston Red Sox jersey at the then-in-progress new Yankee Stadium. Ian Ferris bought a bag of Yankees grass seeds – yes, you can buy official New York Yankee seeds – and hid them in his pants while attending a Phish concert at Fenway Park last month. Ferris filled the bag with water and tossed it onto the infield. "This is payback, Ferris told the New York Post. "If even one blade of grass sprouts on the field, I feel it was a success."

Meanwhile, Gino Castignoli, the construction worker who planted the Red Sox jersey under Yankees stadium, didn't sound concerned. "My curse is working, he said. "It's typical of a Yankee fan to think you can buy a jinx in a bag. When will they learn, you don't win with your wallet but with your heart?"