Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a locker room
    • ex. The players went to the locker room to get ready for the match.
  2. smash
    • ex. He smashed his phone against the wall when it stopped working during an important call.
  3. broadcast
    • ex. They broadcast the concert on the internet for fans at home.
  4. an engagement
    • ex. The teacher uses games and group activities during lessons to improve student engagement.
  5. incorporate
    • ex. The teacher wants to incorporate more activities into the class to make it more fun.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Top tennis players Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff have raised concerns about privacy at major tournaments after private moments were filmed. During the Australian Open, cameras followed players almost everywhere, from the locker rooms to areas near the court. For example, Gauff smashed her racket in frustration after a loss, and the moment was filmed and shared online.

Swiatek said players sometimes feel watched all the time. She explained that tennis players expect matches to be broadcast, but off-court areas should allow some privacy. However, this is not the case. At the Australian Open, organizers make a three-week festival with many activities to increase fan engagement, and they incorporate videos of players from off-court areas into these events.

Gauff said the locker room was the only truly private place at the tournament. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said it takes player concerns seriously and supports clearer limits on cameras. WTA officials added that players need private spaces to recover and prepare, even while fans enjoy closer access to the sport.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Privacy for Athletes

  • A video of Coco Gauff smashing her racket in frustration after a loss was filmed and shared online. What do you think about this kind of video? Discuss.
  • Iga Swiatek said that players expect matches to be broadcast, but off-court areas should allow some privacy. Why do you think privacy is important for athletes? Discuss.
  • Imagine you were a professional athlete who is very famous. How would you want your privacy to be protected during competitions? Discuss.

Fan Engagement

  • Tournament organizers at the Australian Open make a three-week festival with activities and incorporate off-court videos of players to increase fan engagement. Why do you think organizers think it is a good idea to show off-court videos of players to fans? Discuss.
  • Do you think it is necessary to have fan engagement events or activities? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In your country, how do sports or entertainment events try to engage fans? Discuss.