US Open offers Twitter warning

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 3 Sep 2009 at 10:55

Tennis players have reacted angrily to the US Open's warnings about the dangers of using Twitter during the tournament.

The organising body of the tournament has posted notices in the player's locker rooms warning them of the dangers of passing inside information about matches during their tweets.

"Important. Player Notice. Twitter Warning," the sign reads in eminently tweetable fashion. "Many of you will have Twitter accounts in order for your fans to follow you and to become more engaged in you and the sport – and this is great. However popular it is, it is important to warn you of some of the dangers posed by Twittering as it relates to the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program Rules."

I think it's lame the US Open is trying to regulate our tweeting

Andy Murray wondered whether the signs needed "to be stuck in our face" while Prolific Twitter user Andy Roddick took particular umbrage: "I think it's lame the US Open is trying to regulate our tweeting ... I understand the on-court issue but not sure they can tell us if we can."

He later added, and no doubt after a tap on the shoulder from an advisor, that: "I definitely respect the rule about inside info and on court, but you would seriously have to be a moron to send 'inside info' through a tweet."

This will probably not go down well with Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, who revealed on Twitter that he'd been dropped for the third Ashes test before the team sheet had been announced. Footballer Darren Bent also offered a sneak glimpse behind the scenes when he raged at the Tottenham board over his protracted transfer to Sunderland.