 © Maria Sharapova/Nike
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Letting your emotions show on court is important for many pros. Did you know that Maria Sharapova's on-court grunt clocks up 101 decibels? That's almost as loud as a police car siren close up!
The "gruntometer" first came about in the 1990s when Monica Seles, the first of the power players to grace the women's game, receieved complaints from opponents who were put off by her famous grunt. Some say it's tactical, others say it's annoying and designed to intimidate, but tennis coaches actively encourage players to let all their emotions out and put their emotions into every shot. Just as long as you don't start doing a John McEnroe ("You cannot be serious!") or end up with a code violation!