Blog 5_Tennis players who grunt do have advantage, study says

Tennis players who grunt do have advantage, study says

    Canadian and American researchers conducted tests that showed that "extraneous sounds" made from tennis players interfere with the opponents' performance, making their responses  slower and less accurate. 33 students in the University of British Columbia were shown clips of tennis players grunting and they had to figure which direction the players were heading. Results show that the participants were slower to react and more inaccurate. Some tennis players argue that grunting is unfair and should be banned.Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal are the two most well-known grunters.

    As a frequent grunter myself, I believe grunting should not be banned from matches. My coach taught us that grunting helps us regulate our breathing and use our strength more easily. It also boosts our confidence and our stamina. At the start of the match or when I am behind, I grunt. It really helps me.

   Although grunting helps the player, it would definitely extremely unfair if grunting gave the player an advantage and disturbed the opponent. Like any other sport,different players have different habits, whether it be wearing a headband or kissing the court before the game; grunting is also a habit. Nonetheless, interfering with the other opponent is unsportsmanlike. If the results of this study is actually true, then I'm afraid certain rules should be created, such as not making noise louder than a certain amplitude.