Effects of passive, active, and mixed playing strategies on external and internal loads in female tennis players

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different playing strategies on external and internal loads in female tennis players during match play. Also, the underlying effects on the technical-tactical actions and activity profiles were examined. Twelve well-trained female players (age: 25±5 years; maximum oxygen uptake: 40.9±4.3 ml/kg/min) played points against an opponent of similar ability outdoors on red-clay courts. The players played points over five playing conditions. Before each condition, the players were instructed to apply either a passive, an active, or their own playing strategy (free play) to succeed. The five conditions were played in a randomized order, whereas the condition with the own strategy was always played first and served as control. During play, the external and internal loads were investigated by 10 Hz global positioning system, 100 Hz inertial measurement unit, shortrange telemetry, capillary blood, and visual analog scale procedures. A 25 Hz video camera was used to examine the technical-tactical actions and activity profiles. Compared to the control condition, the passive, active, and mixed playing strategy conditions induce up to large effects on the external loads (running distances with high acceleration and deceleration), up to moderate effects on the internal loads (energy expenditures spent with high metabolic power, lactate concentration, and rating of effort), and up to very large effects on the technical-tactical actions (number of ground strokes and errors) and activity profiles (strokes per rally, rally duration, work to rest ratio, and effective playing time). Our study shows that passive, active, and mixed playing strategies have an impact on the external and internal loads, technical-tactical actions, and activity profiles of female tennis players during match play. This finding should be considered for practical purposes like match analyses and training procedures in the tennis environment.

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

“…This data allows the coach to better describe the methodological aspect used in the exercise. It coincides with those obtained in previous research in terms of exercises carried out using the hand feeding methodology, 3 the rally between the players, 37 the point play method 38 or the player serving alone method. 39 In all these studies it was concluded that the method used was an aspect that should be taken into account when prescribing the type of exercises to be used depending on factors such as the period of the player's season.…”

Effects of Training through Induced Variability on Performance in the Forehand Approach Shot in Tennis

“…Thus, they could especially be in line with a greater adaptive capacity or positive transfer to tennis performance when, for example, the player has to go, in a short period of time, from competing on a slow court to a fast court, as happens in the professional tennis circuit [10] [25].…”

Physiological demands of racket sports: a systematic review

“…In tennis, of the 6 included studies, only 3 evaluated VO 2max ( Baiget et al, 2015 ; Kilit et al, 2016 ; Hoppe et al, 2020 ) the values fluctuated between 40.9 (±4.3) and 58.0 (±4.6) ml/kg/min, in women and men, respectively. The mean value the VO 2 in play fluctuated between 26.6 (±2.7) and 29.9 (±3.7) ml/kg/min.…”

“…In tennis, of the 6 studies found, 5 analyzed this variable ( Gomes et al, 2011 ; Martin et al, 2011 ; Baiget et al, 2015 ; Kilit et al, 2016 ; Hoppe et al, 2020 ), where the values fluctuated between 128 bpm and 154 bpm.…”

“…In tennis, of the 6 selected studies, 4 analyzed this marker, 2 studies were performed on men and two studies on women ( Mendez-Villanueva et al, 2007 ; Gomes et al, 2011 ; Martin et al, 2011 ; Hoppe et al, 2020 ). The values recorded in these studies fluctuated between 1.5 and 5.7 (±1.8) mmol/L, being similar to those found in other studies ( Fernandez-Fernandez et al, 2007 ).…”