Effects of a Six-Week International Tour on the Physical Performance and Body Composition of Young Chilean Tennis Players

Abstract

In tennis, it is common for young male tennis players to spend several weeks away from their local training camps during the competition season, which could affect their performance. The purpose of the study was to analyze the effects of a six-week international tour on physical performance and body composition in young Chilean tennis players. Twenty-four men between the ages of 14 and 16 participated in this research. In body composition and anthropometric measurement, body weight, height, skinfolds, and perimeters were measured. Body fat percentage (BFP) and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) were calculated. For physical performance, 5-m and 10-m sprints, modified agility test (MAT test), countermovement jump (CMJ), and medicine ball throw (MBT) were evaluated. Results show that, in body composition, BFP and SMM significantly decreased post-tour (p < 0.05; effect sizes ranging from 0.23 to 0.33, respectively). In physical performance, agility and 5-m and 10-m sprints significantly decreased (p < 0.05, effect sizes ranging from −0.63 to 1.10). We conclude that after a six-week international tour, BFP, SMM, agility, and speed (linear sprint) tend to decrease significantly, with a greater effect in the sprint tests.

Changes in Body Composition and Physical Performance after a Six-Week International Tour in Young Chilean Female Tennis Players

“…Tennis is a complex and intermittent sport which is characterized by a high demand for physical factors, such as strength, power, agility, and speed, as well as technical skills related to serving and groundstrokes [ 1 , 2 ]. The typical mean duration of a three-set match is 1.5 h, with an effective playing time of 30%, executing 300 to 500 high-intensity movements [ 3 , 4 ].…”

“…Additionally, elite tennis players travel extensively for tennis tournaments to gain or maintain ranking points, which invariably interrupts the training process [ 9 ]. It is common that throughout the competition season, young tennis players are away from local facilities for several weeks and without direct supervision of their trainers, which could reduce the effects of training and their performance [ 10 ] and increase the risk of injury [ 1 , 11 , 12 ]. This occurs because the demands of tennis tournaments vary depending on the matches won, the court surface (i.e., grass, clay, and hard courts), and the type of matches played (i.e., qualifying, main draw, doubles).…”

“…In addition, travel and days off between tournaments should be considered [ 9 ], and at the junior level (i.e., U16, U14), players usually take part in two consecutive tennis matches per day (i.e., morning and afternoon sessions) as part of their competition schedule [ 7 ]. Therefore, it is highlighted that it is very important to collate information about changes in body composition and physical fitness on tours that involve departures of several weeks [ 1 , 9 ].…”

“…Kovacs et al [ 10 ] evaluated the impact of a five-week structured, but unsupervised, break in collegiate tennis players, concluding that a 5-week interruption of normal training can result in significant reductions in speed, power, and aerobic capacity. Luna-Villouta et al [ 1 ] analyzed the effects of a six-week international tour on physical performance and body composition in young tennis players, determining that BFP increases and SMM decreases significantly ( p < 0.05); in addition, agility and 5 and 10 m sprints decrease significantly ( p < 0.05; d = −0.63 and 1.10). However, there were no significant changes in CMJ and MBT ( p > 0.05).…”

“…However, there were no significant changes in CMJ and MBT ( p > 0.05). These studies [ 1 , 9 , 10 ], with the exception of Murphy et al [ 9 ], tended to focus on male tennis players, so women remain under-represented in the evidence base [ 13 ]; as a result, information collected from male athletes is often applied to the female population [ 14 ]. However, given the biological differences between men and women, applying studies conducted in male athletes to female athletes appears to be inappropriate [ 15 ].…”