Cheering too loud

Hi Alois and Jeff,

Recently I watched a live match for the first time (European Champions League (Timo Boll, Marcos Freitas,...)). It was a great pleasure. Just...the noise of cheering spectators between points was unbelievably loud - two meters behind me someone was even drumming. After three hours I left, I couldn’t stand it anymore.

The question: Do professional players really play better when they are cheered for in that way? I doubt it... (Several times it looked to me like Timo was standing at the table waiting for the spectators to calm down before he made his serve.)

Thank you

Thomas

Hi Thomas,

I think most players like playing in front of a crowd and some noise.

I think the option of Timo playing in a hall with no one there isn’t what he would prefer.  I think players get used to the spectators exuberance and realise it is just something that they need to work with.

These are professional players and if they don’t have spectators or people interested in what they do, their pay cheque may not be there either.