It's that time of year again, when Wimbledon is centre stage.
The grunting sound created by tennis players is another imposing sound that Wimbledon brings. Sometimes it’s funny and other times grunting has been referred to as unattractive and disturbing once it reaches an excessive degree, such as a full-blown scream.
We decided to examine tennis players’ breathing and the reasons why they might grunt.
Tennis racket manufacturing company Head have a few suggestions on why tennis players grunt.
Improving breathing and rhythm
Most personal trainers and fitness instructors advise exhaling when exerting yourself during a workout. This is the same for tennis as, according to many players, grunting can improve breathing and rhythm while playing.
Habit
When most people envision grunting during tennis, Maria Sharapova (or Monica Seles, Venus Williams, and Michelle Larcher de Brito) comes to mind. This is because her grunts have exceeded 100 decibels.
She used to claim that grunting was just a habit that she had developed over time. She used it as a part of her tennis game. It would have been just as difficult as learning a new grip to quit grunting when she was in her 30s.
Sharapova said: “The information going towards coaches and academies that are developing talent from a young age is teaching them a certain breathing technique.
“Because when you start something from a young age and continue it, it’s a habit— whether you do grunt or don’t grunt.
“The WTA created a plan. That’s the smart way to go about it, rather than like taking someone’s forehand and grip in the middle of their career and telling them to change it.”
In another interview, she claimed that grunting allowed her to concentrate, let off steam, and increase the force of her shots. She even went on to claim that she intimidated her opponents by grunting louder when she was winning.
Adding power
According to specialists, there is a plausible physiological explanation for the loud commotion on the court. Think of it as a forceful exhalation that boosts the velocity of critical shots during competition-defining moments, according to Dr Neeru Jayanthi, a sports medicine physician at Loyola University who has studied tennis physiology as a player, coach, physician, and researcher.
“Some grunting does improve your power, the thought is that you enhance your muscle activation. We also think there’s a psychological benefit from relaxation that comes from forced exhaling.”
New generation copying the older generation
Like with everything else in tennis, newer players look up to the pros and desire to play like them. Children and teenagers will also make noise if grunters are winning Grand Slams. The cycle repeats itself when that generation reaches the pinnacle of the sport.
Challenging your opponent
Some players use grunting as a tool to confuse their opponent.
The sneaky technique is to grunt loudly, as if you had hit a massive forehand topspin with a lot of effort, and then follow it up with a soft dropshot.
Your opponent won't anticipate that. If you grunt particularly loudly, your opponent won't be able to hear how you hit the ball, as Caroline Wozniacki once said.
Since the grunt is so loud, you assume the ball will arrive quickly but instead it moves slowly.
Grunting can also be used to distract your opponent.
