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Sprint interval training (SIT) is a potent exercise strategy to enhance athletes' aerobic capacity in a time-efficient manner. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a low volume court-based SIT program on aerobiccapacity and sport-specific endurance performance forcompetitive... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are numerous locomotion studies analyzing the degree of attenuation of the acceleration spikes in the lower limbs and the trunk, few of these studies relate to tennis, where a high percentage of injuries occur in these body segments. The aim of this study was to describe the acceleration spikes and the attenuation response along the trunk, in real game actions. For this purpose, accelerometers were placed on the lower trunk, the upper trunk, and the head on a sample of 19 players while playing tennis matches. An average of 530 ± 146 acceleration spikes per match were selected in the upper trunk and a clear attenuation response between the upper trunk and the head was found (acceleration spike magnitude was approximately 25 m/s2 in the upper trunk and approximately 20 m/s2 in the head; p < 0.05; with attenuation percentages above 15%). In all players acceleration spikes of the head were below lower and upper trunk acceleration (p < 0.05 in all repeated measures ANOVAs and effect sizes were above 0.8, or large effect sizes). However, between the lower trunk and upper trunk no clear attenuation was found and although in some players the impact peaks were higher in the lower trunk (p < 0.05) the effect sizes were negligible or medium (Cohen d < 0.5). In other players the upper trunk peaks were higher than the lower trunk peaks (p < 0.05) and in a few players there was no significant difference (p > 0.05). The attenuation in the upper trunk, probably serves as a head protection/stabilization mechanism and more studies are needed to analyze the biomechanics actions underlying this attenuation response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable sensing devices can reliably track players' mobility, revolutionizing sports training. However, current sensing electronics face challenges due to their complex structures, battery dependence, and unreliable sensing signals. Here, a tennis training system is demonstrated using machine learning based on elastic self‐powered sensing yarns. By employing a simple and effective strategy, piezoelectric nanofibers and triboelectric materials are integrated into a single yarn, enabling the simultaneous translation of both triboelectric and piezoelectric signals. Additionally, these yarns exhibit outstanding processability, allowing them to be machine‐knitted into self‐powered sensing fabrics. Due to their great sensitivity, these sensing yarns and fabrics may detect human movement with great precision. Machine learning algorithms can classify and interpret these signals to recognize various human motions. The developed tennis training system aims to maximize its benefits and provide comprehensive training for both players and coaches. This work enhances the applicability of self‐powered sensing systems in smart sports monitoring and training, advancing the field of intelligent sports training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims to determine the impact of core training variations on balance and forehand drive abilities in male athletes of the Unimed Tennis Community in 2023. It addresses the issue of inadequate balance when chasing the ball, leading to hitting errors such as balls getting caught in the net, improper racket-ball contact, lack of control, and shots going out of bounds. Method – The research employed an experimental method with a one-group pre-test and post-test design. The study was conducted at the Unimed tennis court, with a purposive sampling technique selecting six male athletes who met the study criteria. Data were collected through pre-test and post-test assessments of balance and forehand drive performance, with the results analyzed using t-tests to determine the effectiveness of core training variations. Findings – The results showed a significant effect of core training variations on the athletes' balance and forehand drive abilities. The analysis revealed a t-value of 16.813 for balance and 13.636 for forehand drive, both exceeding the critical t-value of 2.015. These findings indicate that core training variations positively influenced both balance and forehand drive performance in male athletes of the Unimed Tennis Community. Research Implications – The study highlights the importance of incorporating core training variations in athletic training programs to improve balance and forehand drive skills. Coaches and sports trainers are encouraged to implement these exercises to enhance performance and reduce errors during play. Future research could explore the long-term effects of core training variations and their impact on other tennis skills or different athlete populations.

Abstract Sprint interval training (SIT) is a potent exercise strategy to enhance athletes’ anaerobic capacity in a time-efficient manner. This study aimed to investigate the impact of low-volume, court-based SIT on the anaerobic capacity and sport-specific performance in competitive tennis players. Twenty-four competitive collegiate tennis players were randomly assigned to either the SIT group (n = 12; three sessions per week of court-based repeated-sprint training) or the traditional endurance training (ET) group (n = 12; three sessions per week of 45-min continuous treadmill running, n = 12) for a 6-weeks intervention. Baseline and post-intervention assessments included the Wingate Anaerobic Test, elimination rate of blood lactate (BLAer), tennis-specific repeated sprint ability (RSA), and the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (YoYo-IR2). The results showed that SIT group demonstrated significant improvements in peak and average power during the Wingate test (p = 0.07; p

The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to provide an overview of kinematic parameters associated with key points of interest in the tennis serve. The research was conducted according to the PRISMA guideline without date restriction. Google scholar, Science Direct, PubMed/Medline, Mendeley, and Science.gov databases were scanned to find relevant studies. Only English peer-review original article focused on joint body angles at trophy position, racket low point and ball impact were retained. The review, quality appraisal, and data extraction from selected studies were performed independently by two reviewers. A meta-analysis was carried out on the most studied joint parameters. Among the 2,844 records identified, 27 articles were included. The wide variety of methods used required data homogenization for comparison purposes. Trunk inclination (25.0 ± 7.1°) and front knee flexion (64.5 ± 9.7°) were the most studied parameters for trophy position. Shoulder lateral rotation (130.1 ± 26.5°) was systematically evaluated for racket low point. At ball impact, shoulder elevation (110.7 ± 16.9°) and elbow flexion (30.1 ± 15.9°) were the most considered joint angles. The systematic review revealed that many kinematic parameters were not quantified at the various key points of interest. Knowledge of the kinematics is essential for understanding the gesture, implementing training methods, and improving the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Sports Sciences Research / Spor Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Journal of Sport Sciences Researches / Spor Bilimleri Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the last decades, the game of tennis has evolved considerably due to several factors, among which we enumerate: the improvement of the learning methodology and the improvement of technical procedures, the improvement of tactical thinking, the appearance of fast playing surfaces, the increase of the effort capacity of the players, the participation in competitions throughout the year. The relationships of interdependence between technique and the previously listed factors are obvious, they determine the increase in the quality of the tennis game. Due to the same causes, the vision of the specialists regarding the order of importance of the shots has fundamentally changed. Training has an increasingly perfected methodology in all aspects, being a specialized activity that represents the basic means of the entire training system of the tennis player and includes:practical training lesson and basic factors: physical, technical, tactical, mental (recovery, health, medication, motivation). Thus a professional player plays 32 tournaments a year. The tactical register, in top matches, registers remarkable progress on all levels, with special emphasis on game strategies and choosing a tactic according to the type of own and opposing player. Players prove solid theoretical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I chose this theme, due to the interest that I developed during my university training, for educating, training and learning the basic strokes of the game of tennis for beginner children. Through the present work we aim to make a useful contribution and relevant to existing practice regarding the benefits of learning the correct ball striking technique for the forehand, forehand and service stroke. The sample investigated in the research will be represented by subjects between the ages of 7-10 years from the High School with Sports Program "N. Rotaru" from Constanța. The current game of tennis is characterized by great dynamism, the player being put in the position to think and act quickly for the effective application of the technical-tactical arsenal, in the diversity of adversity situations. Thus, beginner players at the age of 8-10 need to learn the most correct technique in order to be able to carry out any tactical plan in order to win matches in competitions. The general objective of the research is to observe to what extent the new methods and means proposed for improving the basic shots help to make the learning process more efficient for children in training and to improve the tennis game at the mentioned age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel three-wheel tennis pitching device for tennis training robots is designed, which features pitching tennis balls with various self-spins. The device is composed of aluminous hubs, rubber tyres, and high-speed brushless motors. Besides, a ball-spin control method is implemented to pitch balls with target self-spins, which is based on the combined effects of three pitching wheels rotating at different speeds. In view of the device’s vibration caused by high-speed rotors, a vibration reduction method applicable to pitching wheels is proposed through correcting the position of the center of mass. The method weakens vibration easily with twice drilling operations. Furthermore, simulations and experiments are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enacting critical pedagogies within physical education (PE) contexts have been found to increase critical consciousness and disrupt hegemonic taken-for-granted assumptions about ability and the body. As an under-researched area, the aim of our research was to explore the extent to which a critical pedagogical approach in PE can disrupt normative ableist notions of disability through a disability-specific, critically orientated, tennis class. Six students from a large southeastern US university chose to participate and student video narratives and reflective essays were collated as data sources. Through inductive and deductive data analysis, the key themes constructed were: (1) 'the learning journey in critical education', underpinned by the following subthemes: (i) 'initial shock', (ii) 'new experiences', and (iii) 'humbling encounters'; and (2) 'consequences of critical pedagogy', supported by (a) 'building a community through meaningful relationships', and (b) 'change in perspective'. We conclude by discussing the pedagogical potential of our critical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sprint interval training (SIT) is a potent exercise strategy to enhance athletes' aerobic capacity in a time-efficient manner. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a low-volume court-based SIT program on aerobic capacity and sport-specific endurance performance for competitive tennis players. Sixteen competitive collegiate tennis players were randomly assigned to the SIT (court-based repeated-sprint training) and traditional endurance training (ET; 45-min continuous treadmill running) groups for a 6-week intervention (3 sessions/week). The maximal oxygen uptake ( V ˙ O 2max ), minute ventilation at peak exercise (VEmax), ventilatory anaerobic threshold in percentage of V ˙ O 2max (VT/VO 2 ), and elimination rate of blood lactate (BLA er ) were assessed, whereas the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (YoYo-IR2) and the tennis-specific HIT&TURN test were conducted at baseline and after the intervention. Both SIT and ET showed significant improvements in V ˙ O 2max (p < 0.01) with moderate effect sizes (ES = 0.64 and 0.98, respectively), as well as in VE max (p < 0.01) with small effect sizes (ES = 0.23 and 0.21, respectively), and VT/VO 2 (p < 0.01) with large effect sizes (ES = 2.37 and 3.85, respectively). The BLA er improved significantly in SIT (ES = 1.03; p < 0.05) whereas no significant changes occurred in ET. The magnitude-based decision showed a clear and superior improvement in both YoYo-IR2 (ES = 0.69) and HIT&TURN (ES = 1.72) tests in SIT than ET. Compared with traditional ET, court-based SIT can be a time-efficient strategy to improve aerobic capacity and tennis-specific endurance without requiring specialized equipment for competitive tennis players., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest, (Copyright © Institute of Sport – National Research Instutite.)

Copyright of International Journal of Racket Sports Science is the property of International Journal of Racket Sports Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: In young tennis players, high loads on the spine and high training volumes in relation to age are associated with a high lifetime prevalence of back pain. The primary aim of this study was to investigate if accumulated external workload "spikes" in the acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR) of tennis training, match play, and fitness training, and if high or low workload/age ratio were associated with back pain events in competitive adolescent tennis players. Additional aims were to report the incidence of back pain stratified by sex and level of play and to describe the characteristics of players with back pain. Hypothesis: Rapid increases in external workload are associated with the incidence of back pain. Study Design: Cohort study of 198 competitive tennis players, 13 to 19 years, with a weekly follow-up for 52 consecutive weeks. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: Accumulated external workload spikes (uncoupled ACWR >1.3), and the workload/age ratio, were time-varying exposures in Cox regression analyses with the outcome back pain (pain intensity ≥2/10 in the lower back and/or in the upper back/neck with a pain-related disability). Results: For each additional workload spike in tennis training/match play, the hazard rate ratio (HRR) was 1.17 (95% CI, 1.06-1.28) for back pain. The corresponding HRR for fitness training was 1.13 (95% CI, 1.05-1.22). Training workload/age ratio was not related to back pain. Conclusion: Accumulated external workload spikes of tennis training, match play, and/or fitness training are associated with a higher rate of back pain events in competitive adolescent tennis players. Clinical Relevance: Back pain is a troublesome clinical problem that may affect the performance of talented young tennis players. Structuring the training schedule to minimize rapid increases (ie, spikes) of training load on a weekly basis may enhance performance and reduce back pain in adolescent tennis players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed and compared the physical and technical demands of professional wheelchair tennis (WT) on different surfaces (clay [C], hard [H] and grass [G] courts). A total of 6,720 shots from thirteen matches played by the best ten professional WT players was analysed. Physical demands (e.g., working time, resting time, shots per point ...) and technical and tactical parameters (e.g., serve, effectivity, winner stroke, shots with two bounces ...) were recorded and analysed. Most physical parameters (points, shots, duration) differed according to the surface (H > C > G). Point length and shot per point were longer on H, and lower on C and G surfaces (p < 0.001). Differences in technical performance were found mainly between C and G courts, with a high use of volleys on G but fewer winners (p < 0.01). The main finding indicates that the physical and technical demands facing professional WT players differed by surface, showing that the H surface involves a higher external load than the other surfaces. Coaches can use this information to adapt their players' style depending on the playing surface as well as to design specific training drills according to the surface of play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise and sports are one of how the necessary moral and volitional, psychological, professional, and physical abilities can be built, as well as to strengthen the body's resistance to the causes of various diseases. Limited physical activity during a pandemic and distance learning has a negative impact on the physical fitness and immune strength of people of all ages, including students involved in the training process of tennis at Sofia University. Achieving a good level of technical training in our sport requires a large amount of work, repeated performance of various technical elements, and the building value of physical activity is quite high. All this leads us to the goal of the present study: adapting the training work in tennis to the temporary capabilities of students, after the removal of epidemiological restrictions. To achieve this goal, the following tasks are defined: a study of the physical fitness of students, study their attitude toward the discipline of tennis and determine the necessary changes in the amount of physical activity applied in training activities. The study was conducted on a sample of 126 students from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", practicing tennis. This would allow for full training through optimal workloads and achieve faster and more adequate adaptation to the normal rhythm of life and training work at the University. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tennis is a set of sports and entertainment and a sports activity, since 2014, tennis in China has been another rapid development. With the development of economy and technology, tennis training mode has been further optimized and reformed. At present, tennis training robot is the mainstream way to train athletes. However, there are some defects in the current tennis training robots, such as the low accuracy of human motion real-time evaluation, and the lack of stability. Therefore, this paper puts forward the related research on the real-time evaluation algorithm of human motion in tennis training robots, hoping to make up for the deficiency in this field. The research of this paper is mainly divided into four parts. The first part is to analyze the current situation of technology research in this field and put forward the idea of this paper by analyzing the shortcomings of the existing technology. The second part is the related basic theory research; this part deeply studies the core theory of tennis training and intelligent training robot, which provides a theoretical basis for the realization of the optimization scheme. The third part is the design and implementation of a real-time human motion evaluation optimization algorithm for tennis training robots. At the end of the paper, that is, the fourth part, through the way of field test and investigation, further proves the superiority of the improved real-time evaluation algorithm of human movement. The algorithm has good stability and accuracy and can meet the existing tennis training requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researchers have investigated the energy expenditure of tennis practice and match play in adults but not youth. Methods: VO2 was recorded for 36 youth, ages 9 to 18, during 10-minute bouts of tennis practice and match play. A GLM was used to compare VO2 between practice and match play and among age groups (9–12 years, 13–15 years, and 16–18 years); also to compare the difference in adult and child-derived MET values (ΔMET). Results: VO2 was higher for tennis match play vs. practice (P < .05) and there was a trend for 16 to 18 year olds having lower VO2 than 9 to 12 year olds (P = .055). ΔMET did not differ between settings but varied by age group (P = .004); it was highest in 9- to 12-year-olds and lowest in 16- to 18-year olds. Conclusions: Youth expend more energy while playing a tennis match than practice, regardless of age. Child-derived MET values equaled those of adults once youth reached ages 16 to 18. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this prospective, cross-sectional study male adolescent tennis players (44) and nonathletic controls (32) were evaluated to determine the effects of physical activity, dietary nutrient intakes, sexual maturation, and body composition on bone-mineral density (BMD). Dietary nutrient intakes and physical activity expenditure were estimated by 4-d diaries. Total body composition, bone-mineral content (BMC), and BMD (L1-L4, femur, and nondominant forearm) were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Tennis players had significantly greater lean body mass (mean [SEM] 50.6 [1.6] kg vs. 45.1 [1.7] kg, p = .022), trochanter BMD (1.0 [0.02] g/cm² vs. 0.9 [0.03] g/cm², p = .032), and dominant forearm BMC (173.7 [7.4] g vs. 146.5 [9.3] g) but lower BMD in the nondominant forearm (0.7 [0.02] g/cm² vs. 0.8 [0.03] g/cm², p = .028). Daily average calcium intake was below the recommendation in both groups. No correlation was found between BMD and calcium intake and exercise. Lean body mass was the best predictor of BMD and BMC for both tennis players and controls (R² = .825, .628, and .693 for L1-L4, total femur, and nondominant forearm, respectively). Based on these results the authors conclude that lean body mass is the best predictor of BMD and BMC for both tennis players and others. Tennis exerts a site-specific effect, and training should focus on ways minimize this effect. Although calcium intake showed no effect on BMD, nutrition education for young athletes should focus on promoting a balanced diet, providing energy and nutrients in adequate amounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the effects of prolonged simulated tennis on performance and the ergogenic potential of caffeine, carbohydrates, and cooling. Methods: Twelve highly trained male tennis players (age 18.3 ± 3.0 y, height 178.8 ± 8.5 cm, body mass 73.95 ± 12.30 kg, mean ± SD) performed 4 simulated matches (2 h 40 min) against a ball machine on an indoor hard court. The counterbalanced experimental trials involved caffeine supplementation (3 mg/kg), carbohydrate supplementation (6% solution), precooling and intermittent cooling, and placebo control. Physiological markers (core temperature, heart rate, blood lactate, and blood glucose), subjective responses (ratings of perceived exertion and thermal sensation), stroke velocity and accuracy, serve kinematics, and tennis-specific perceptual skill quantified the efficacy of interventions. Results: Significant effects of time (P < .01) reflected increased physiological demand, reduced serve velocity and ground-stroke velocity and accuracy, and a slowing of the serve racket-arm acceleration phase. Caffeine increased serve velocity (165 ± 15 km/h) in the final set of the match (P = .014) compared with placebo (159 ± 15 km/h, P = .008) and carbohydrate (158 ± 13 km/h, P = .001) conditions. Carbohydrate and cooling conditions afforded physiological advantage (increased blood glucose, P < .01, and reduced preexercise thermal sensation, P < .01) but did not affect performance relative to the placebo condition. Conclusions: Prolonged simulated tennis induced significant decrements in tennis skills. Caffeine supplementation partly attenuated the effects of fatigue and increased serve velocity. In contrast, carbohydrate and cooling strategies had little ergogenic effect on tennis performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adapting competitions to young players' characteristics is an important pillar in the optimal teaching–learning process. The objective of the present study is to analyze the effect of modifying net height (from 0.91 to 0.80 m) and court dimensions (from 23.77 × 8.23 m to 18 × 8.23 m) for under-10 (U-10) tennis players on the following: (a) kinds of technical and tactical basic, situational, and special strokes; (b) tennis players' hitting area; (c) landing location of the serve; (d) ball landing location after the serve; (d) stroke effectiveness; and (e) rally length. The study design was quasi-experimental in nature, observing the fluctuation/change in technical–tactical variables of the tennis players when playing a "Tennis 10s Green Competition" (GC) with the current federative rules and a redesigned competition "Modified Competition" (MC) including altered net height and court dimensions based on small-sided games (SSGs) and equipment scaling. Twenty U-10 tennis players were studied (age of players = 9.46 ± 0.66 years, average weekly training in tennis = 2.90 ± 1.07 h, years of experience = 3.65 ± 1.53 years). The results showed that in MC, there was a greater technical–tactical variability compared with the GC in terms of the following: (a) greater service effectiveness; (b) more situational and special strokes; and (c) a more equitable change in the distribution of hitting and ball landing locations. The values of MC showed that the current adaptation rules and equipment in federated U-10 competitions might not be enough to improve the teaching–learning process under the comprehensive approach. The current competition for U-10 tennis players (stage green) should be redesigned, in order to build an optimal process of affordances to develop a multidimensional positive impact during this training stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Good serving is crucial to succeed in men's world class tennis; however, both chronological and skill-related service game development remain to be elucidated. The study aimed to systematically analyse the development of serving behaviour and serve efficiency in world class men's tennis over a period of 14 years. Methods. Historical data collected from all matches at the Wimbledon Championship between 2002 and 2015 (matches: n = 1772; service games: n = 63,838; serves: n = 401,527) were included for analyses. The analyses focused on 2 comparisons, serve efficiency development over time and possible differences within the world class, i.e. 1st tournament week results (matches: n = 1563; service games: n = 55,989; serves: n = 352,748) and 2nd tournament week results (matches: n = 209; service games: n = 7849; serves: n = 48,779). Results. An increase was observed of the percentages for service games won (p < 0.01), aces served (p < 0.01), and 1st and 2nd serve points won (p < 0.01), whereas double faults (p < 0.05) and serve and volley points played (p < 0.01) decreased over time. Direct comparisons of the 1st and 2nd tournament week show advantages in favour of the 2nd tournament week. Players competing in the 2nd tournament week won higher percentages of service games (p < 0.01) and points on the 1st (p < 0.01) and 2nd serve (p < 0.05), and served more aces (p < 0.05) but fewer double faults (p < 0.05). Conclusions. With a particular impact on the 2nd tournament week, the findings indicate increased serve efficiency in men's world class grass court tennis from 2002 to 2015, which may imply altered practice patterns in tomorrow's training and coaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research hypothesis starts from the premise that the use of some operational structures can be converted into well-structured training programs, by increasing the volume of the technicaltactical acquisitions applied at the training level of puberty players during training and matches. The purpose of the research is to continuously improve and guide the content of the training, by including the non-specific means in tennis playing. The topic of the research is represented by the methods and means of training as well as by the structure of the competitive calendar by restructuring the training with the introduction of the non-specific means in tennis playing. The practical value of the research is given by the possibility to elaborate training models that include some non-specific means in tennis playing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improved you only look once (YOLOv3) algorithm is proposed to make the detection effect better and improve the performance of a tennis ball detection robot. The depth-separable convolution network is combined with the original YOLOv3 and the residual block is added to extract the features of the object. The feature map output by the residual block is merged with the target detection layer through the shortcut layer to improve the network structure of YOLOv3. Both the original model and the improved model are trained by the same tennis ball data set. The results show that the recall is improved from 67.70% to 75.41% and the precision is 88.33%, which outperforms the original 77.18%. The recognition speed of the model is increased by half and the weight is reduced by half after training. All these features provide a great convenience for the application of the deep neural network in embedded devices. Our goal is that the robot is capable of picking up more tennis balls as soon as possible. Inspired by the maximum clique problem (MCP), the pointer network (Ptr-Net) and backtracking algorithm (BA) are utilized to make the robot find the place with the highest concentration of tennis balls. According to the training results, when the number of tennis balls is less than 45, the accuracy of determining the concentration of tennis balls can be as high as 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai, Educatio Artis Gymnasticae is the property of Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Journal of Medicine & Science of Physical Activity & Sport / Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte is the property of Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Fisica y del Deporte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study was designed to determine if winning a specific game in a tennis match would predict success in the match and if psychological momentum was influenced by ability levels or gender of the players. Subjects were 119 male and female players competing in 163 matches in three sanctioned tennis tournaments. Game-by-game and set results were recorded. Furthermore, interviews were conducted to ascertain players' perceptions of momentum. Results revealed that winning any of the first eight games in the first and/or second set was a significant predictor of success in the tennis match. However, when only the results of more competitive matches (when sets extended to nine or more games) were examined, Games 8, 10, and 11 in the first set were significant predictors of winning the match, while only Game 4 of the second set resulted in an increased probability of match victory. No gender or ability differences were found. Based on these findings, it is suggested that investigators be cautious in inferring psychological momentum since these findings were dependent on the equity of competitors within a match, and psychological momentum seems to be a highly individual matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tennis has become a sport increasingly known and loved by children but less effective to continue their sports activities. There are numerous reasons why practitioners leave tennis at an early age. In classical tennis, the learning process is spread over several years, being a long-term activity(6-8years). Tennis 10 is a program that was created and implemented by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in the early 2000s as part of a campaign carrying the title "Tennis Play and Stay". Tennis Play and Stay campaign aims to promote tennis as a game easy to practice, purpose and fun to maintain health and to ensure that all novice players can still serve and hit the ball at the first lesson. With this work I wanted to compare the two learning methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Prior to the 2017 table tennis season, each participant performed the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral the star excursion balance test (SEBT) reach distances in a randomized order. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of table tennis multi-ball training and dynamic balance on performance measures of the SEBT for the male and female. Methods. The limb lengths of the 12 table tennis athletes were measured bilaterally in the study. Besides warm-up end, the data of this study were recorded at a regular interval at approximately 16 min for the entire multi-ball training session, and they were defined as Phase I, Phase II, Phase II, respectively. The Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale was used to document the degree of physical strain. Results. Reaching distances showed a decrease with training progression in all direc-tions. Compared with the male table tennis athletes, the females showed poorer dynamic posture control, particularly when the free limb was considered with the right-leg stance toward posterolateral and posteromedial directions in phase I. Discussion. This study suggests that during table tennis multi-ball training the male should have a regulatory protocol to compensate the deficit observed in phase II, but the females should be given the protocol in phase I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A few studies have shown that different types of court surfaces can have different effects on tennis match performance in different age groups, however, no studies have researched on tennis match performance responses in young tennis players. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different court surfaces on psychophysiological responses, time-motion and match characteristics of young tennis players. Methods: Twenty-six young male tennis players (age 13.0 ± 0.3 years, body height 158 ± 8 cm, body mass 48 ± 7 kg) volunteered to participate in the study. Heart rate was monitored along with total distance covered in four different speed zoneswalking, low-intensity running, moderate-intensity running and high-intensity running, using two portable multivariable integrated 10 Hz GPS monitoring devices over twenty-six outdoor tennis matches; ratings of perceived exertion and enjoyment level were also determined at the end of the matches. Variables describing the characteristics of the matches determined from video recordings were: strokes per rally, rally duration, effective playing time, work-to-rest ratio and rest time between rallies. Differences between hard and clay courts were assessed by a paired t-test. Results: The results showed that clay court surfaces induced significantly more perceived enjoyment scores (29.4 ± 2.8 vs. 26.0 ± 3.2) with lower perceived exertion level (13.4 ± 2.7 vs. 14.4 ± 2.9) compared to hard courts. Moreover, a clay court surface is also more effective at improving physiological responses, time-motion and match characteristics compared to hard court. Conclusions: If a coach strives to improve their young tennis players' tennis-specific performance with greater physical enjoyment, clay court surfaces should be specially used in their tennis training season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the running activity between training and match-play for young high-level tennis players. Ten female and ten male young high-level tennis players took part in the study (13.80 age ±2.08 years). Twelve Portable GPS devices operating at10 Hz were used to collect velocity data. Match-play analysis was carried out by Aragon Tennis Master on hard court and training analysis was carried out by High Level Performance Centre of the Aragon Tennis Federation. The distance covered per minute (DCmin) by players in match-play was higher than in training (Match-play = 50.4 ± 6.0 m· min−1 vs. Training = 34.5 ± 6.2 m· min−1; F(1, 76) = 163.9; p < 0.001; ὴ2p = 0.64, moderate effect). The acceleration distance covered per minute (DCAmin), was higher in match-play than in training (Match-play = 45.0 ± 3.0 m· min−1 vs. Training = 28.6 ± 6.2 m· min−1; F(1, 76) = 267.6; p < 0.001; ὴ2p = 0.7, moderate effect). The results showed that match-play was characterised by demanding to players a great number of accelerating efforts, whereas in training, players do not replicate these actions, predominating movements at high average speed than in match-play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine analytic perceptions of expert and novice tennis coaches. Four expert and four novice tennis coaches volunteered as study participants. Both a video analysis and a recall test provided data for this investigation. In the video analysis protocol, participants were asked to describe what they observed while viewing a 10-minute video of a tennis practice session. In the recall test, a series of 10 tennis related slides were viewed by each of the coaches. After viewing each slide for five seconds, the coaches were asked what they recalled from the slide. The completed written accounts from the video analysis and the recall test audiotapes were transcribed and served as the primary data. The researchers looked for recurring themes and categories using the generic qualitative study technique. Data analysis revealed six themes: (a) the quantity of cues perceived, (b) attention to critical features, (c) analytic depth, (d) recognizing meaningful patterns, (e) anticipating the future, and (f) from description to prescription. These findings, while new to the coaching literature, supported previous research in other fields regarding the importance and domain specificity of experts' superior perceptual capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives. The objective of this study is to determine the physical characteristics of children of different genders between 10 and 12, who play and do not play tennis, through Eurofit test battery. Methods of the research. The study was carried out with the contribution of 20 male and 20 female volunteer students between 10 and 12 who go to secondary schools in Kayseri. The participants were divided into an experiment group of 10 male and 10 female students each of whom has tennis workouts for 4 days a week, and the control group of 10 male and 10 female students each of whom has no tennis workouts. The study included Flamingo balance test, plate tapping, sit and reach, handgrip test, bent arm test, standing long jump and sit-ups. There was statistically significant difference in favor of male participants in experiment group following the flamingo balance test, bent arm hang, plate tapping, relative handgrip, sit-up, standing long jump and handgrip strength tests. There was a statistically significant difference between groups in terms of flexibility values. Result. For female participants, there was a statistically significant difference on behalf of female participants in the experiment group following the flamingo balance, standing long jump and sit-up tests. There was not a statistically significant difference between groups in terms of flexibility values, bent arm hang, plate tapping, handgrip strength and relative handgrip tests. Conclusion. As a consequence of the study it is considered that playing tennis has positive effects on physical characteristics of children between 10 and 12. With the help of long term workouts, there will be much more positive effects on their physical capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to describe the differences in training and competition loads at three distinct development levels in a junior-elite tennis academy. A total of 39 junior-elite tennis players were recruited from three squads; U/12, U/15 and U/18. Metrics of global positioning systems, accelerometer microtechnology and hitting demands were quantified to determine the external load. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were used to quantify internal training and competition loads. Two training sessions and one competition match were quantified. The results showed an increase in training hitting demands as age increased from the U/15-U/18 squad (p < 0.05). Serve loads were greater in competition compared to training across all squads (p < 0.05). Perceptions of exertion were greater in competition for the U/12 males (p < 0.01) with the U/15 males showing higher RPE in training (p < 0.05). No differences in perceptions of exertion were seen between female groups in training however, the U/15 females found competition less demanding than training (p < 0.05). Overall, the findings suggest practitioners be aware that the U/15-U/18 transition involves significant increases in hitting loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nigde University Journal of Physical Education & Sport Sciences / Nigde Üniversitesi Beden Egitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Journal of Physical Education & Sports Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

For coaches, the most common and easiest way to analyse the tennis serve is to refer to their own vision. However, human vision is insufficient to observe high-speed motion with great precision. With the improvement of technology, it is now possible to study the gesture from a quantitative point of view. The quantitative evaluation of the tennis serve focuses on the kinematics and kinetics of the player but also on the stroke result, which includes the ball speed and the ball trajectory. This review aims to highlight the current tools available for players, coaches, medical staffs and biomechanical researchers, to evaluate the tennis serve. This overview will provide information to the player’s entourage in order to choose the right tools depending on their specific purposes. All of these tools can be applied in performance improvement and injury prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unknown what teaching styles (range of pedagogies) coaches are employing during coaching sessions and whether these teaching styles are associated with recommended pedagogical principles advocated by sport and coaching scholars. It is unknown whether twenty years of coach education has shifted coaching practice as the insights into the pedagogical diversity and preference of teaching styles that underpin and inform the coaches' decisions to employ particular teaching strategies during coaching sessions are undetermined. This paper addresses these unknowns in the field of tennis coaching in Australia by reporting the findings of a study that address the lack of information on the teaching styles employed by tennis coaches by asking the following research question: What teaching styles are junior coaches in Australia actually using during coaching sessions? This study used The Spectrum (Mosston & Ashworth, 2008) of teaching styles as a tool to assess the observed teaching styles of twelve junior coaches. Contrary to the educational convictions of Australian sport coach education materials the results from this study indicated that the coaches in this study potentially did not offer players developmental opportunities beyond a limited range (i.e., motor skill development in the physical learning domain) due to a narrow pedagogical mix in their coaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of serve and return game situations on physiological responses and match characteristics in professional male tennis players during one hour-long simulated singles tennis matches. Ten internationally ranked tennis players (age 22.2 ± 2.8 years; body height 180.7 ± 4.4 cm; body mass 75.9 ± 8.9 kg) participated in this study. Their physiological responses were measured using two portable analyzers during indoor hard court matches. Ratings of perceived exertion were also determined at the end of the game. The variables describing the characteristics of the matches determined from video recordings were: (a) duration of rallies; (b) rest time; (c) work-to-rest ratio; (d) effective playing time; and (d) strokes per rally. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found between serving and returning conditions in an hour-long simulated singles tennis match in terms of oxygen uptake, a heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion, pulmonary ventilation, respiration frequency and a respiratory gas exchange ratio. In addition, both the heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion responses were moderately correlated with the duration of rallies and strokes per rally (r = 0.60 to 0.26; p<0.05). Taken together, these results indicate that the serve game situation has a significant effect on the physiological response in an hour-long simulated tennis match between professional male tennis players. These findings might be used for the physiological adaptations required for tennis-specific aerobic endurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]