I have found a new love at college-the magnificent sport of tennis.

Yes, coming from a small town I played almost every sport possible: softball, co-ed soccer, volleyball and basketball. However, I had no exposure to any racquet sports.

Fortunately, I had a friend that introduced me to the wonderful world of tennis this fall. You can imagine how he reacted when I swung the racquet like a softball bat: “You uncultured, uncoordinated hick!”

While he didn’t say that, I couldn’t help but feel that way. I’m not used to new sports throwing off my groove. But this two-sided racquet thing is taking a while to get used to.

Recently, in my quest to become decent at tennis, I started watching the pros on TV.

Now tennis seems like a serious sport. It’s almost as grave as watching golf on TV. There’s no noise until the rally is over. At least that is the way it is normally.

How often does the camera pan over to show a crowd of spectators trying to hide their giggling?

Well, it happened this week, at least once that I saw.

Young 17-year-old Russian Maria Sharapova played a very noisy match against Na Li from China.

The match only lasted 50 minutes, but who knows for what portion of the match the crowd was laughing.

Every time she hit the ball, Sharapova made a funny noise. The exasperated sound that I assumed came out of her mouth reminded me of a cross between the grunt of one of the Williams sisters and the high-pitched bark of a small dog.

The crowd found it very entertaining; so did I.

They didn’t pay too much attention to her sub-grunt until she had a long rally with Na Li. During this bout the camera panned over to the crowd, and the announcers even had the gall to address their giggly state on television. Needless to say, they kept laughing even after the rally was over.

In between laughs myself, I had to feel sorry for Sharapova. How often does a professional athlete invoke laughter in the audience, besides in football?

Evidently it didn’t phase Sharapova too much. She was in the zone. She shut down Na Li 6-0, 6-2 in 50 minutes.

Regardless of whatever sound I heard come from her mouth, I found myself rooting for the amazing 17-year-old Russian who beat Serena Williams and won Wimbledon last year. How can you not admire an amazing athlete like her? I wish I was half as good as her.

This just in…(I always wanted to say that.)

Sadly, I just saw the results of Sharapova’s match with Serena Williams in the Australian Open.

Maria Sharapova lost the two-hour-and-39-minute match 2-6, 7-5, 8-6. The third set alone lasted 66 minutes!

Wow, this is going to a little while to sink in. I guess it was Serena’s turn to win.

Hmm… Serena’s deep grunt must have been too much for Sharapova’s high yap. (I suppose the fact Williams has won 13 consecutive matches at Melbourne Park.)

Watch out Serena, Sharapova might have the better bark and bite next time.