Why Do They Make that Noise?!

"Grunting" is a familiar sound when it comes to tennis. It's a unique quality of the sport that is welcomed by some and hated by others. The grunting of players differ from player to player. Some players don't grunt at all. Some grunt only on serves. Some grunt the entire match. People opposed to hearing players grunt say that it is disrespectful to the other player and to the sport. They say that players only grunt to annoy the other player and to get a psychological advantage over them. This can be true. When I play people that grunt, often I get annoyed by the sound and it throws me off my rhythm.

However, grunting does have an advantage to the sport of tennis. Some tennis academies even teach players how to grunt while they play. This is because grunting gives a physical advantage to the player. When a player grunts, air that is in their lungs is released. This makes for less tension in their body and they are able to hit the ball more precisely. Therefore, players that grunt are able to hit the ball more effectively and place the ball better.

It is a tough skill to conquer. I have tried grunting many times and it can be difficult. It can be distracting to the person grunting because they aren't used to the sound and action. It takes time to see the results of grunt but it does offer a physical advantage to the players.