scholarly journals Kinematic characteristics of the tennis serve from the ad and deuce court service positions in elite junior players

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0252650
Author(s):  
Janina Fett ◽  
Nils Oberschelp ◽  
Jo-Lâm Vuong ◽  
Thimo Wiewelhove ◽  
Alexander Ferrauti

Purpose According to the official rules of the International Tennis Federation, players have to serve alternately from two different positions: the deuce (right, D) and the ad court (left, AD) side. This study aimed to compare body and ball kinematics of flat serves from both service sides. Methods In a controlled, semi-court laboratory setting, 14 elite male junior players served eight flat first serves to a target field directed to the receiver’s body from both service positions in a matched and counterbalanced order. An 8-camera-Vicon-System was used to capture the 3D-landmark trajectories. Results The mean service velocity was found to be similar on both sides (D: 151.4 ± 19.8 vs. AD: 150.5 ± 19.4 km/h), while multiple characteristics of the serve and ball kinematics differed significantly (p < .05). At starting, the front-foot angle relative to the baseline (D: 39.7±17.6° vs. AD: 31.1±17.4°) and lateral distance between the feet (D: 16.3 ± 12.9 cm vs. AD: 26.2 ± 11.9 cm) were significantly different. During the service, upper torso range of motion from maximum clockwise rotation until impact was significantly greater on the deuce court (D: 130.5 ± 19.8° vs. AD: 126.7 ± 21.1°). This was especially pronounced in foot-back technique players. Further, differences in the lateral ball impact location (D: 30.0 ± 24.1 cm vs. AD: 10.3 ± 23.3 cm) were observed. Conclusions Changing the service side affects the serve and ball kinematics in elite junior tennis players. Our results underline biomechanical differences regarding the starting position (feet and upper torso) as well as the movement and ball kinematics which could be relevant for skill acquisition, injury prevention and performance enhancement.

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (16) ◽  
pp. 5254
Author(s):  
Joana Ferreira Hornestam ◽  
Thales Rezende Souza ◽  
Fabrício Anício Magalhães ◽  
Mickäel Begon ◽  
Thiago Ribeiro Teles Santos ◽  
...  

This study aimed to investigate the effects of knee flexion during the preparation phase of a serve on the tennis serve performance, using inertial sensors. Thirty-two junior tennis players were divided into two groups based on their maximum knee flexion during the preparation phase of serve: Smaller (SKF) and Greater (GKF) Knee Flexion. Their racket velocity, racket height, and knee extension velocity were compared during the tennis serve. Inertial sensors tracked participants’ shank, thigh, and racket motions while performing five first, flat, and valid serves. Knee flexion was analysed during the preparation phase of serve, knee extension velocity after this phase, racket velocity just before ball impact, and racket height at impact. Pre-impact racket velocity (mean difference [MD] = 3.33 km/h, p = 0.004) and the knee extension velocity (MD = 130.30 °/s, p = 0.012) were higher in the GKF than SKF; however, racket impact height was not different between groups (p = 0.236). This study’s findings support the importance of larger knee flexion during the preparation phase of serve-to-serve performance. This motion should be seen as a contributor to racket velocity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 538-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iñigo Mujika ◽  
Shona Halson ◽  
Louise M. Burke ◽  
Gloria Balagué ◽  
Damian Farrow

Sports periodization has traditionally focused on the exercise aspect of athletic preparation, while neglecting the integration of other elements that can impact an athlete’s readiness for peak competition performances. Integrated periodization allows the coordinated inclusion of multiple training components best suited for a given training phase into an athlete’s program. The aim of this article is to review the available evidence underpinning integrated periodization, focusing on exercise training, recovery, nutrition, psychological skills, and skill acquisition as key factors by which athletic preparation can be periodized. The periodization of heat and altitude adaptation, body composition, and physical therapy is also considered. Despite recent criticism, various methods of exercise training periodization can contribute to performance enhancement in a variety of elite individual and team sports, such as soccer. In the latter, both physical and strategic periodization are useful tools for managing the heavy travel schedule, fatigue, and injuries that occur throughout a competitive season. Recovery interventions should be periodized (ie, withheld or emphasized) to influence acute and chronic training adaptation and performance. Nutrient intake and timing in relation to exercise and as part of the periodization of an athlete’s training and competition calendar can also promote physiological adaptations and performance capacity. Psychological skills are a central component of athletic performance, and their periodization should cater to each athlete’s individual needs and the needs of the team. Skill acquisition can also be integrated into an athlete’s periodized training program to make a significant contribution to competition performance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janina Fett ◽  
Alexander Ulbricht ◽  
Thimo Wiewelhove ◽  
Alexander Ferrauti

Our study aimed to examine athletics, training characteristics, and prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms of male junior tennis Davis Cup players (DC) in comparison with their regional counterparts, as well as to evaluate the impact of age and performance level on training characteristics. Twelve junior DC (male) and two samples of regional squad players (RS1 n = 60 males, n = 47 females; RS2 n = 59 males) participated in a physical testing, an interview for data evaluation on training characteristics, and a questionnaire survey of orthopedic injury frequency. Results indicate higher physical performance levels (effect size (ES) 0.75–1.26) and training volumes in DC (ES 1.23–1.66). In DC, significant relationships were found between total training volume and tennis ranking ( r = −0.78), age and physical training volume ( r = 0.82), and age and total training volume ( r = 0.62). Injury frequencies showed moderate to high prevalence with no differences ( p > 0.05) between DC and RS. Given the demands of elite tennis and the important role of service in the modern game, more efforts are necessary to develop training prescription for both performance enhancement and prevention strategies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaak Jürimäe

For The Year that Was—2016, I have selected three papers in the area of growth, maturation, and exercise during youth. The year of 2016 was a successful year and it was not an easy task to highlight the most significant publications in this specific area of pediatric exercise science. The first paper has been chosen because it provides, for the first time, the growth and maturational status of elite junior tennis players belonging to the top eight players in the National rankings in various ages and compares against population norms. It appeared that individual differences in growth and maturation contribute towards the selection of elite junior tennis players in both sexes, with a bias towards these athletes who are comparatively tall and heavy for their age already in younger ages. The second paper is a methodological paper and was selected because it provides a unique perspective on the use of different tracking coefficients to investigate short-term tracking of cardiorespiratory and performance-related physical fitness among adolescents during growth and maturation. Specifically, three distinct statistical approaches were applied in this paper: auto-correlations, mulitilevel modeling corrected tracking values for time-varying covariates and Cohen`s Kappa in order to identify group and individual tracking as well as individuals whose trajectories are unstable across time. This methodological paper demonstrated the importance of the selection of the statistical approach to monitor and describe short-term tracking of cardiorespiratory and performance-related physical fitness variables in adolescents during growth and maturation. The third selected paper provided some evidence that the consequence of physical activity during childhood can be far reaching as physical activity might not only promote health benefits but also have positive effects on adulthood earnings.


2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 368-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanos Perkos ◽  
Yannis Theodorakis ◽  
Stiliani Chroni

This study examined the effectiveness of instructional self-talk on acquiring and performing three basketball skills (dribbling, passing, and shooting). Sixty-two young, novice players were organized into two groups. The experimental group accompanied the practice of three specific drills with self-talk. The control group performed the same drills traditionally. Six assessment sessions were completed. Repeated measures MANOVAs showed that experimental group participants performed better than their control group counterparts when dribbling and passing. Experimental group participants and their coaches reported using self-talk more when passing and dribbling and less when shooting. In addition, experimental group participants achieved significantly better dribbling and passing scores (p < .05) between assessment sessions. These results support instructional self-talk as an effective tool for skill acquisition and performance enhancement of skills low in complexity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 0061
Author(s):  
Zainab Shakir ◽  
Dr. Widad Kadhum

The problem of the research in determining the appropriate angles in the strength of serve for tennis age (14-16) year according to the specific biomechanical conditions, and the extent of the relationship of each variable of the physical variables in the successful performance of the skill of serve, and achieving the strength of transmission for tennis age (14-16) year, and it is one of the biomechanical principles that can be used in evaluating the angles of body parts. age (14-16) year tennis players. The aim of the research is to identify the percentage of the contribution of some physical variables of the straight serve for tennis juniors, and the percentage of the contribution of some corners of the body to the strength of serve for the tennis age (14-16) year (18) players. The two researchers reached a number of results, the most important of which are: There is a statistically significant correlation between some physical abilities and body angles with the straight serve for tennis players. The lower the angles (elbow, shoulder, knee for the front leg) at the moment of hitting the tennis ball, the stronger the serve will be. Correlation relationship with some biomechanical variables, because the skill of serve requires the strength of the striking arm during the performance of the straight serve


Author(s):  
José María Giménez-Egido ◽  
Enrique Ortega ◽  
Isidro Verdu-Conesa ◽  
Antonio Cejudo ◽  
Gema Torres-Luque

The use of smart devices to obtain real-time data has notably increased in the context of training. These technological tools provide data which monitor the external load and technical–tactical actions related to psychological and physical health in junior tennis players. The purpose of this paper is to monitor technical–tactical actions and physical activity during a current tennis competition in the Green stage using a Zepp Tennis Smart Sensor 2. The participants were 20 junior tennis players (under 10 years of age), with an average age of 9.46 years. The total number of strokes (n= 21,477) during 75 matches was analyzed. The study variables were the following aspects: (a) number of strokes, (b) ball impact in the sweet spot; (c) racket speed; (d) ball spin; (e) calories burned; and (f) match time. The current system of competition, based on knockout, does not meet the World Health Organization’s recommendations for daily physical activity time. Players mainly used flat forehands with a lack of variability in technical–tactical actions which did not meet the current learning opportunity criteria of comprehensive methodologies. The competition system in under-11 tennis should be adapted to the players’ characteristics by improving the variability and quantity of practice.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 553-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Kramer ◽  
Barbara C.H. Huijgen ◽  
Marije T. Elferink-Gemser ◽  
Chris Visscher

Purpose:To analyze how physical fitness (PF) improves in elite junior tennis players related to age, maturity, and performance level.Methods:Elite junior tennis players (n = 113 boys, n = 83 girls) divided by performance level were monitored longitudinally from U14 to U16. Maturity, upper and lower-body power, speed, and agility were measured during subsequent competitive seasons. Improvement was analyzed per sex using multilevel analysis.Results:PF components for boys and girls improved over age (U14-U16) (ES .53–.97). In boys, the more mature boys outscored the less mature boys in upper and lower-body power from U14-U16. In girls, high-ranked girls outscored lower-ranked girls on lower-body power, speed, and agility (U14-U16) (p < .05).Conclusion:Boys and girls improved on all PF components during U14-U16. In boys, power was related to maturity. In girls, lower-body power, speed, and agility were related to tennis performance. This has important implications for talent development.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janina Fett ◽  
Alexander Ulbricht ◽  
Thimo Wiewelhove ◽  
Alexander Ferrauti

Our study aimed to examine athletics, training characteristics, and prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms of male junior tennis Davis Cup players (DC) in comparison with their regional counterparts, as well as to evaluate the impact of age and performance level on training characteristics. Twelve junior DC (male) and two samples of regional squad players (RS1 n = 60 males, n = 47 females; RS2 n = 59 males) participated in a physical testing, an interview for data evaluation on training characteristics, and a questionnaire survey of orthopedic injury frequency. Results indicate higher physical performance levels (effect size (ES) 0.75–1.26) and training volumes in DC (ES 1.23–1.66). In DC, significant relationships were found between total training volume and tennis ranking (r = −0.78), age and physical training volume (r = 0.82), and age and total training volume (r = 0.62). Injury frequencies showed moderate to high prevalence with no differences (p &gt; 0.05) between DC and RS. Given the demands of elite tennis and the important role of service in the modern game, more efforts are necessary to develop training prescription for both performance enhancement and prevention strategies.


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