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PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR A TENNIS ATHLETE : A SPORTS SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE



A tennis player playing tennis

Success in the high-performance world of competitive tennis is now based on a comprehensive understanding of performance indicators supported by research rather than just skill. Tennis is a physically taxing sport that calls for a blend of mental toughness, endurance, agility, coordination, and explosive power. A structured needs analysis that assesses the energy system requirements, mobility demands, and cognitive load of the sport is crucial to optimising these qualities.


The aerobic system aids in recovery between points and sets, whereas the ATP-PC and anaerobic glycolytic systems are mostly used for explosive efforts during points in tennis. Tennis is an open skill sport that requires swift accelerations, multidirectional movements, and direction changes that are all performed in a high-pressure, decision-making setting.


Essential domains of sports science are interrelated and help the tennis athlete. The physical basis is strength and conditioning, with an emphasis on power production, eccentric control, and maximal and relative strength. Essential measures of an athlete's explosive abilities include medicine ball throws, squat jumps, countermovement jumps, and 1RM testing. Drop jumps and the reactive strength index (RSI) are additional tests that evaluate an athlete's capacity to switch between eccentric and concentric motions rapidly, which is important for split-step and court coverage.


T-tests, 5-0-5 agility tests, 10- to 20-meter sprint timings, and reaction time evaluations are used to gauge speed and agility because they replicate the demands of real-time movement on the court. Tests such as the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test and the Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) test measure an athlete's ability to maintain high-intensity efforts over time with effective recovery, making conditioning equally important.


By analyzing stroke mechanics and movement efficiency, biomechanics adds yet another crucial aspect. Footwork tracking, force-time curves during explosive actions, and kinematic evaluations of serves and groundstrokes offer information on technical shortcomings or physical restrictions. Resilience and psychological preparedness are also essential for tennis play. Athletes' mental readiness under duress is tracked with instruments like the CSAI-2 inventory, attention and resilience measures, and reaction time assessments. Movement quality evaluations such as the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), Y-Balance Test, and Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) help prevent injuries, and isokinetic testing finds muscular imbalances, which is crucial for the health of the shoulders and lower limbs.





Using RPE scales, jump evaluations, sprint tests, heart rate variability (HRV), and athlete wellbeing questionnaires, organised load management is made possible by tracking these performance indicators. Real-time feedback on the efficacy of training and the state of recuperation is provided by these measurements. Crucially, these areas need to cooperate. For instance, low hip mobility may be the cause of a biomechanical serve error that the strength coach can correct, while psychological exhaustion, identified by response time delays, may lead to a brief decrease in training volume. Strength, physiology, biomechanics, psychology, nutrition, and injury prevention are all aspects of performance that are guaranteed to be in harmony and support one another through an interdisciplinary approach.


In conclusion, the key to long-term tennis success is measuring what counts. In addition to improving technical and physical performance, a comprehensive, scientifically based performance monitoring system prolongs an athlete's competitive career. Tennis professionals must adopt a comprehensive strategy, ensuring that training is data-driven, recuperation is improved, and every parameter is oriented toward developing a consistent, resilient, and high-performing athlete.


References:

1. Fernandez, J., Mendez-Villanueva, A., & Pluim, B. M. (2006). Intensive tennis training for improvement of endurance in young tennis players. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(7), 649–653.


2.Roetert, E. P., & Ellenbecker, T. S. (2007). Complete Conditioning for Tennis. Human Kinetics. (Chapters on strength and power development for tennis).


3.Kovacs, M. S., & Ellenbecker, T. S. (2011). An 8-stage model for evaluating the tennis serve: implications for performance enhancement and injury prevention. Sports Health, 3(6), 504–513. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738111414175

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