The cancellation of Wimbledon this summer deprived fans of their annual exercise in moralising. There is one topic SW19-goers love to complain about every year: the grunting sounds that players emit as they hit the tennis ball.
Maria Sharapova, who retired in February, was called the Queen of Screams. Her grunts were once recorded at 101 decibels, more than a Boeing 707 as it touches down. They even inspired a series of ringtones.
‘I’ve done this ever since I started playing tennis and I’m not going to change,’ Sharapova once said. Yet her grunts were said to be mysteriously absent on the practice court.
Grunting can give players a tactical advantage. Emitting a grunt as they hit the ball helps their rhythm and lets them hit the ball harder without depleting their oxygen supplies. This is potentially crucial during a long, high-octane match under the blazing sun.
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