Different Effects of Live Demonstration and Video Demonstration Learning Models on the Performance of the Tennis Service Biomechanics Review from Eye-Hand Coordination

This study aims to determine: (1) The difference in the effect of live demonstration and video demonstration exercise models on the biomechanics performance of court tennis service, (2) Differences in the performance of tennis service biomechanics between players who have high and low eye-hand coordination, (3) Effect of interaction between exercise model and eye-hand coordination on the performance of tennis service biomechanics. This study used an experimental method with a 2 x 2 factorial design. The population in this study were all 12 players of the male KKO SMPN 1 Surakarta. The sampling technique used is saturated sampling, the size of the sample taken is 12 players. The data analysis technique in this study used ANOVA. Before being tested with ANOVA, first using the prerequisite test of data analysis with sample normality test (Lilliefors test with = 0.05 %) and homogeneity test of variance (Bartlett test with = 0.05 %). Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded as follows: (1) there is a difference in the effect of live demonstration and video demonstration exercise models on the performance of tennis service biomechanics. The effect of the live demonstration exercise model is better than the video demonstration exercise model, (2) there are differences in the biomechanics performance of court tennis service between players who have high and low eye-hand coordination. The biomechanics performance of court tennis services on players who have high eye-hand coordination is better than players who have low eye-hand coordination, (3) there is an interaction between training models and eye-hand coordination on the biomechanics performance of court tennis services. Players who have high eye-hand coordination are more suitable if given a live demonstration exercise model. Players who have low eye-hand coordination are more suitable if given a video demonstration exercise model.

Design and validation of a tennis tool to control on-court technical and tactical training content

In high performance tennis, different aspects like physical-conditioning, strategy-tactic, technical-biomechanical, psychology and skills acquisition have received large attention from the researchers. Nevertheless, the programming, periodization and planning of training sessions and competitions have not been as studied in depth. Coaches still use their experience, trial-error and subjective perceptions as methods of conducting these fundamental tasks. This article presents the design and validation of an instrument to control the technical and tactical training content on-court. The instrument was conceived by 9 experts and validated by 23 experienced coaches, who used on-court tennis exercises examples. The instrument is a useful tool for helping the coaches to improve the control of the on-court technical and tactical content and the tennis training session contents in high performance tennis players.

Challenging serve myths in doubles tennis

Doubles tennis has received little interest from quantitative research to date. Coach-led anecdotes therefore abound. The aims of this study were therefore to evaluate the veracity of the following common anecdotes: (a) serving teams have an advantage regardless of the length of the point; (b) serving teams have a greater advantage with new balls; (c) regular teams perform better when serving than new teams and (d) serving teams decrease their performance during break points. Data from doubles hard-court and clay-court tennis were collated for 52 doubles teams during 2018 ATP tournaments. Results revealed that the advantage of serving teams was evident on the points lasting up to 4 shots. Serving teams only had a greater advantage with new balls when playing on clay courts and suffered reduced winning probabilities on break points. A team’s familiarity only seemed to positively influence outcomes on hard courts. In sum, our novel findings highlight the important role that quantitative analysis can play in challenging doubles convention and shaping contemporary practice design and match strategy.

Effect of simulated tennis steps and slides on tread element friction and wear

In hard court tennis, players change direction by either stepping or sliding. The shoe–surface friction during these movements is crucial to player performance. Too little friction when stepping may result in a slip. Too much friction when attempting to slide could cause the player to move only a short distance, or to fail to slide. To understand the influence of tread design on shoe–surface friction in tennis, experiments were performed on individual shoe tread elements that replicated the tribological conditions typically experienced during hard court step and slide movements. Tread element orientation had no effect on the static friction in step movements, but longer tread elements (in the sliding direction) had 9% lower dynamic friction during slide movements (p < 0.001). The friction between tennis shoe tread and hard court tennis surfaces is also shown to be influenced by the tread’s sliding history, and the wearing pattern that forms on the surface of the rubber.

Investigating the most important aspect of elite grass court tennis: Short points

Research has shown that short points (points of 0–4 shots) are crucial in determining the outcome of elite men’s and women’s grass court tennis matches. However, research has not explored the importance of short points in more detail to inform practice design. This study aimed to establish the prevalence and importance of individual rally lengths within short points (i.e. points of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 shots) in terms of winning elite grass court tennis matches. Using the recently-validated PWOL ( Percentage of matches in which the Winner Outscored the Loser) method, point-level data from 211 men’s and 209 women’s Wimbledon singles matches between 2015 and 2017 were analysed, with short points stratified into individual rally lengths. Results revealed that 1 shot (aces and missed serve-returns) was the most common rally length, with 0 shots (double faults) the least common. Points won of 1 shot, 2 shots and 4 shots were associated with winning matches and can therefore be considered important, but points won of 0 shots and 3 shots were not associated with match outcome. These results highlight the importance of serving and returning strategies at Wimbledon, and indicate that serves and serve-returns should be afforded focus during grass court training. However, the findings appear to contravene anecdotal assertions that ‘serve plus one’ strategies ( points won of 3 shots) are crucial in elite tennis, as they did not differentiate winning and losing players; so coaches should consider the associated practice designs and amount of time afforded to such strategies.

Important performance characteristics in elite grass court tennis: implications for practice

Notational analysis has become a valued discipline and well-established tool in many sports. Historically, however, notational analysis and its potential for enhancing competitive performance have not been optimised in tennis, with a lack of grass court tennis research and associated practical applications particularly apparent. Additionally, tennis coaches have shown resistance towards technological advancements and are often unsure how to exploit the performance data available to them. In this thesis, a new, user-friendly data analysis method (Percentage of matches in which the Winner Outscored the Loser, PWOL) is developed and validated, to encourage tennis coaches to engage with notational analysis. The method is applied to Wimbledon match-play data, to identify the important performance characteristics in men’s and women’s elite grass court tennis. Points won of 0-4 shot rally length (i.e. short points) is revealed as the most important, so this characteristic is explored further, revealing the critical importance of serving and returning strategies. Accordingly, players’ tactical serving and returning behaviours are examined using Hawk-Eye ball-tracking data, with results highlighting that players tend to use first serves to put opponents under positional pressure by aiming for lateral areas of the service box, while opting for safer second serve strategies, typically targeting more central areas. Male winning players were also able to use their serves and serve-returns to force opponents out of position more often than losing players, hitting a comparatively higher percentage of serves and serve-returns to lateral areas of the court. Alongside the novel data analysis method, this thesis advances knowledge around the important aspects of grass court tennis match-play and provides insight into how matches are won at Wimbledon. Designed to inform practice, the practical application facilitates coaches aiming to develop evidence-informed practices for players during the grass court season, ensuring their training is representative of match-play. Implications for performance analysts and high-performance centres are also explored, to promote a more interdisciplinary approach to player development.

The understanding of court tennis rules for participants of licensing tennis umpire training

Tennis is a very popular sport and has become worldwide. It is very necessary for an umpire or officer to lead a match. One of the tennis game officers is a chair umpire who led the match directly to the court. Tennis matches in Riau had started a lot. The number of matches in Riau had to be supported by professional umpires. To become a professional umpire certainly must be supported by mastering the rules of the tennis game properly. This research was a descriptive study by giving a test to the participants of the umpire training who had participated in upgrading activities to determine the level of tennis game rules understanding. The sample of this study was participants who had participated in the court tennis umpire training. The research sample was 25 (twenty five) people. The study was located in Bangkinang, Kampar District on January 6, 2019. The results showed that the level of court tennis game rules understanding with very good category was 8%, good category was 12%, medium category was 56%, less category was 16%, while very less category was 8% . These results could provide a conclusion that the level of court tennis game rules understanding of the training participants was in the medium category.