People are only just realising why tennis players grunt at Wimbledon

Tennis fever has gripped the nation once again as Wimbledon is underway, but many fans will be left wondering just what is all that racket. Well, players grunting in the sport is nothing new.

Past legends such as Monica Seles, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe couldn't serve up an ace or play a ruthless backhand without accompanying it with a deafening cry. Yet the tradition is still going strong today with the likes of reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and modern icon Novak Djokovic all contributing to the noise levels on centre court with their loud shrieks.

But why does a player do it? There are several reasons that range from releasing tension, improving a player's rhythm, generating power and, of course, to simply put off their opponent.

The art of squawking when playing the game has now become an all too familiar sound to spectators and, even though it may sound forced and unnecessary. In fact many players put their barking on court down to specialised breathing techniques that can help them up their performance.

It's long been a sage bit of advice from personal trainers, and those who frequent the gym, that exhaling when putting in the hard yards can assist with your breathing and rhythm. Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova was perhaps the game’s fiercist grunter with her yelling famously reaching an astonishing 101 decibels and she cited her howls as a mix of craft and routine.

Sharapova has commented in the past on why her grunting became so ear-splitting, claiming in part it was due to habit and to help her manage her breaths while in action. Speaking back in 2012, Sharapova also said that coaches and academies are teaching grunting as a breathing technique to young players, and once that's been learned it's then hard to stop. She said: “When you start something from a young age and continue it, it’s a habit— whether you do grunt or don’t grunt."

In another interview, Sharapova also stated that all the yelling allowed her to focus and increase the force of her shots. That brings us to another reason for all the noise - some players believe it helps them generate power when it comes to the crunch.

Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, a sports medicine physician at Loyola University who has studied tennis physiology as a player, coach, physician and researcher, told the Toronto Star that eliciting a loud noise when playing does in fact improve power and also says the guttural wailings adds a velocity to vital shots at defining moments.

However, with some of the game's top players such as Aryna Sabalenka threatening to break the sound barrier with her grunting, many fans think there must be something else in it for the players.

Other theories range from gamesmanship to it being a necessary part of a player's game to try and unsettle their opponent across the net.

As well as all the science backing up the noise, there is also a more basic explanation. That is simply that newer players keep the game of noise alive simply because past legends did it and they want to emulate their heroes in every aspect.

Whatever reason you choose to believe, only one thing is for sure - grunting isn't going anywhere, so perhaps it's time to invest in a set of ear-plugs for the next time you switch on the tennis.