Maria Sharapova , Victoria Azarenka, Serena and Venus Williams, and Monica Seles…what do all of these women have in common? That’s right. These ladies are famous for, not only their big game tennis, but their excessive shrieking that has caused millions of tennis lovers around the world to mute their television sets just to watch a tennis match. But we have to wonder. What is with all of this grunting and screaming in tennis? Why do they even have to scream? If they even have to… Well my coach and I have discussed on these questions at hand and, like always, have come out with the goods. Let’s go through these questions one-by-one:
Grunting and screaming in tennis is universal and it always seems to start in the juniors. Maria Sharapova started her shrieking when she was in the juniors, and has caused a lot of hubbub. Shrone Hurt (a USTA professional tennis coach) said himself that he grunts a bit loud and he played many players in the juniors and satellite tournaments that did the same thing. Shrone has a huge tennis game himself and has said that the grunting does not bother him in the least, due to the major fact that he respects women’s tennis – and also grunts as well.
Remember I pointed out that the listed players have “big game tennis”? Well, that is the real common variable to this discussion. These ladies are not just exercising their vocal chords for nothing, as Shrone explains further:
“Maria and them scream to dumb down. When you play, there can be a lot of things going on in your mind and you can’t play real tennis like that. There is always that little voice in your mind that makes you second guess yourself. When they scream, they only here that and helps them focus on their tennis. That’s how you play tennis; like a dumb jock. No thinking. Just hitting freely without pressure.”
There is also another key factor to screaming:
“Sharapova, Azarenka, the William’s Sisters…they play big tennis and to make themselves even more confident, they grunt (scream). This helps them get a boost of energy and ego, which you always need as a tennis player. Without confidence, you can’t ever be a successful player. Believing you are the best, but still not in an in-your-face way is how to do it. Screaming gives them that boost.”
When you think of the ongoing screaming in this light, it all makes sense. The tennis world is not like any other world. It has its own rules and reasons of why things are done so differently. So if the screaming bothers you that much, the mute button is just a click away.
Keep enjoying the tennis.