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Tennis stars such as Maria Sharapova who grunt during matches could be giving themselves an advantage - and not just because it's distracting.

Scientists found that players who let out a groan as they hit the ball sent it travelling significantly faster, reducing the amount of time their opponent had to set up a good return shot.

Over the course of the match the grunter was more likely to win, they said.

Tennis stars such as Maria Sharapova (pictured) who grunt during matches could be giving themselves an advantage - and not just because it's distracting

The team from the University of Nebraska found ball velocity increased by 3.8 per cent when players grunted compared to when they hit the ball silently.

They said that the forced expiration makes the upper body more stable, which in turn increases the transfer of power from the body to the arm.

And they said that players who trained for a long period of time using the technique could experience even better results.

Elite tennis players such as Serena Williams (pictured), Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova often grunt when they strike the ball - with the latter known to reach 105 decibels, the same level as a chainsaw

Writing in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, they said: 'It is interesting that with minimal time to practice grunting while hitting groundstrokes, these athletes were able to produce greater velocity.

'It would be interesting to determine if even greater enhancement might be possible with a longer period of training using the grunt technique.

'Similarly, it would be interesting to determine if lesser skilled players might yield even greater results.

'It may be worthwhile for players and coaches in tennis and other sports to experiment with grunting to determine possible improvement in performance.'

The researchers also tested whether grunting could have a negative effect on a player's game by increasing the oxygen cost, but found that it did not.

Miss Sharapova's grunting has reached 105 decibels during some matches, or as loud as a chainsaw.

It is a controversial technique, with some critics claiming it is an unnecessary distraction.