Voice in Sport: Grunting in Tennis, Power and Performance

by | Jul 5, 2011 | Articles on the Voice, General, Vocal Health | 0 comments

Sport

Voice in Sport: Grunting, Power and Performance

With Wimbledon over, and another year without a British man in the final, my mind has turned to the incredible yelps, gasps, screams and shouts that players emit during their matches. The soundtrack of modern tennis is as much about voice in sport as it is about racquets and balls.

Maria Sharapova’s famous on‑court grunt, for example, has been measured at around 101 decibels – almost as loud as a lion’s roar at roughly 110 decibels. Monica Seles was not far behind, with groans recorded in the low‑90s decibel range. Victoria Azarenka has also been noted for her striking vocal “sirens”. Whether you love it or hate it, this use of voice is impossible to ignore.

What the vocal folds are doing

The vocal folds (often called vocal cords) are muscular folds in the larynx that vibrate together to create sound when air passes between them. They are also part of a system that can close to help us build pressure inside the torso – something you use instinctively when lifting, pushing, defecating or giving birth, often described as part of a Valsalva‑type mechanism.

In sport, these two functions overlap. At key moments – the instant of striking the ball, landing from a jump, or completing a lift – athletes often:

  • Take in breath.

  • Engage torso and abdominal support.

  • Momentarily manage glottal closure and release in a way that can produce a grunt, shout or exhale.

Exactly how much of that is about power, habit, timing, psychology or gamesmanship varies from person to person, and is an area of active research.

Does grunting waste energy or increase power?

It’s tempting to assume that any energy going into sound is energy “lost” from the shot. However, studies looking at grunting and other vocalisations in tennis and similar tasks suggest a more complex picture. Some research has found that vocalising at the moment of effort can:

  • Increase ball velocity or force output by a few percent without a clear increase in oxygen cost.

  • Disrupt an opponent’s ability to respond as quickly or accurately to the shot.

That doesn’t mean every sound is helpful, or that all athletes should grunt, but it does challenge the idea that grunting is simply wasted energy. For some players, the combination of breath, support, timing and sound at impact may actually be part of how they organise power and focus.

Impact on opponents and spectators

From an opponent’s point of view, loud grunts can be distracting. Experimental work suggests that added noise at impact can affect how quickly and accurately someone judges the direction or speed of a tennis shot. That has led to debates about fairness, etiquette and regulation at the professional level.

From a spectator’s perspective, reactions vary from finding it thrilling and expressive to experiencing it as irritating or excessive. But whether we enjoy it or not, these vocalisations are part of how some athletes inhabit their physical effort and competitive persona.

Something to think about

For players, coaches and voice professionals, voice in sport raises interesting questions:

  • How does your own sound – grunt, exhale, shout or silence – affect your timing, effort and focus?

  • Could experimenting with different ways of using your voice change how powerful, coordinated or grounded your movement feels?

  • Where is the line between helpful self‑expression and unhelpful distraction, for you and for others?

It’s certainly something to think about the next time you’re watching (or playing) a match where the soundtrack is almost as intense as the tennis itself.

If you’re a player, coach or physio who’d like to explore how breath, support and voice in sport can influence power, presence and performance, we’d be happy to help. Get in touch to discuss 1‑to‑1 sessions or workshops on using your voice more effectively on court, on the pitch or in the gym.