Besides skills and potential, one vital aspect that binds sportspeople is their emotions. Tennis players, in particular, often wear their hearts on their sleeves, and one of the most prominent expressions of this is grunting.

When it comes to discussing this unique and sometimes controversial aspect of the game, who can be better than the legendary Serena Williams?

Serena, known for her powerful game and even more powerful presence on the court, has long been a vocal advocate for the authenticity of emotions in tennis.

This has led people to think often about her motivation behind the same, and the tennis star herself has opened up about it yet again.

The former American tennis player engaged in an exclusive discussion with Hot Ones and addressed a wide range of topics, including her grunting.

In the interview, Serena Williams revealed that the motivation behind her grunts was former World No. 1 player Monica Seles. When quizzed about why tennis players yell or grunt when they hit the ball, Williams revealed her reason.

Serena said, “So I grunt because growing up I liked this tennis player named Monica Seles and she grunts. She had this really cool grunt. It was like (mimics).” 

Continuing further, she revealed that with time it became natural. “And then it just became natural and then my grunt just became like a (mimics herself).” 

This, however, is not the first time the tennis legend has opened up about grunting.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner recently appeared in an interview with the Bloomberg Originals team. She opened up about Monica Seles and resonated with similar sentiments.

“I was actually inspired by Monica Seles, I just liked her. I thought she was really cool and I liked how she grunt.” Interestingly, Serena’s grunts have also led to controversies.

via Reuters

To note, Serena Williams was often criticized for grunting by the crowd. And, a reporter was quick to pick this up and pose a question about the grunting of female players to the tennis star after her win in the quarterfinals against Victoria Azarenka at Wimbledon 2015.

It is worth noting that this reaction from the crowd was absent or very minimal when male players grunted during their matches. Responding to the question, Serena seemed to shed the controversy.

Answering the question, Williams said, “I’m done with controversy. I can’t. I’m tired. I have to do an ice bath.” Meanwhile, the tennis great is currently preparing for the launch of her latest docuseries, In the Arena: Serena Williams.

‘She really became a monster,’ Sister Venus’ sensational take on Serena Williams

The latest docuseries on Serena Williams, In the Arena: Serena Williams, presented by Morgan Stanley, is all set to hit screens on July 10. Meanwhile, ESPN has launched a teaser of the same. What caught the attention of the fans in the teaser was the regard of the Williams sisters for each other.

Speaking in the documentary, Serena Williams emphasized the role of her sister Venus in her life. “The best thing that happened to my career was coming up behind my sister.” Continuing further, she recalled the statements her dad made while introducing her to tennis.

“My dad, he got my sister out there, and then he started to say I was going to be better. I was something no one had ever seen before.” Similar was the sentiment of Venus Williams, who did not shy away from lauding her sister.

Speaking in the teaser, Venus can be heard lauding the aggression of her sister. “She really became a monster on the court in the most beautiful way.”

This reflects the camaraderie and strong bond that both sisters share. With the series all set to air soon, what can be promised is an intimate glimpse into the sensational journey of the tennis great.