Sabalenka responds to her loud on-court screams: Completely uncontrollable, she didn’t realize she was that loud

When it comes to showing power on the tennis court, Sabalenka is always at the forefront. Her greatest weapon? Those blazing fast serves. Sabalenka’s serve speed often reaches 110–120+ mph, instantly putting her opponents on the defensive. And of course, there’s her signature roar—echoing across the court and capturing everyone’s attention.

While heading to New York, Sabalenka appeared on The Tonight Show, where Jimmy Fallon naturally couldn’t miss asking about her vocal outbursts. When clips of her hitting were shown, he noticed her roar and asked, “Are you aware of how loud you get during matches?”

“I have no control over it,” Sabalenka recalled with a smile. “Once, during an exhibition match with Novak, they mic’d me up. That’s when I realized: wow, my screams must be really annoying to people! I even joked, ‘Should we hand out earplugs to the audience?’ I really didn’t want to bother anyone. I wanted to turn off the mic, but luckily they lowered my mic volume whenever I hit the ball.”

She was referring to the 2024 charity exhibition “A Night with Novak and Friends” held at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena. That evening, Sabalenka teamed up with Djokovic to face off against Tsitsipas and Sakari. All four players wore microphones, which led to an awkward yet funny moment—Sabalenka asked before the match to have her mic volume turned down.

She laughed, “My screams are really loud.” Once the play started, she tried to hold back, joking, “I can’t play without yelling!” The crowd burst into laughter. What usually intimidates opponents became a lighthearted highlight of the event that day.

But when Fallon asked, “Does the yelling actually help you win matches?” Sabalenka wasn’t sure. She repeated, “I have no control over it... unfortunately, that’s the case for many people.”

This year at Wimbledon, Sabalenka set a new record for the loudest scream, reaching an astonishing 113 decibels, making it the loudest roar in Wimbledon history. The tournament even compared her voice to a lion’s roar, a car horn, and a motorcycle engine. She is not alone; many tennis stars have their own signature sounds.

Sharapova’s screams have reached 108–109 decibels; Seles pioneered with screams around 90 decibels, even prompting a complaint from Martina Navratilova in 1992; Azarenka’s screams hit 104 decibels; De Bryne’s roar at the 2009 French Open soared to 109 decibels; and the Williams sisters’ powerful sounds have electrified the courts.

However, Sabalenka seems quite comfortable with her loud screams. Although wearing a microphone can be inconvenient, it is also one of the reasons she captivates audiences worldwide. Recently, as the world number one, she has been outspoken not only on the court but also on various other topics.

On December 10th, Sabalenka spoke with Kyrgios on Piers Morgan Uncensored. The world number one was asked a sensitive question: “You can’t use the Belarusian flag in matches now... with the Olympics approaching, do you hope to compete again under your national flag?”

Sabalenka has never shied away from difficult topics, and this time was no exception. “I have always been very proud to represent a small country,” she said. “I want to be a role model for the children there. Changing nationality? That’s impossible for me because I can’t betray those kids.”

Her answer was impressive, delivered with firm conviction. This is not about politics or pressure but about heartfelt pride. “I want to keep representing Belarus to show children that I’m standing on the biggest stages, to inspire them,” she continued. “I want them to see that if I can rise from a small country to the top of the world, they can too.”

Since 2022, Russian and Belarusian players have been banned from competing under their national flags, and the ITF has suspended both countries from team events like the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup. While some players have changed nationality for greater freedom, Sabalenka has remained steadfast. Her loyalty stands out amid widespread flag changes.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)