How to Serve Faster in Tennis: The Influence of an Altered Focus of Attention and Augmented Feedback on Service Speed in Elite Players

Abstract

Keller, M, Kuhn, YA, Lüthy, F, and Taube, W. How to serve faster in tennis: the influence of an altered focus of attention and augmented feedback on service speed in elite players. J Strength Cond Res 35(4): 1119–1126, 2021—Different approaches, such as providing augmented feedback (AF) or adopting an external focus of attention (EF), have been shown to directly enhance performance in recreational athletes. Furthermore, research has shown that combining AF with EF (AF + EF) results in superior performance compared to AF and EF alone. Here, we tested the influence of AF, EF, AF + EF, and an internal focus of attention (IF) on service speed in elite tennis players. High-level national tennis players (19.2 ± 3.7 years) were asked to serve flat serves to a target zone with maximum speed. With respect to service speed, a significant main effect of condition was found (p ≤ 0.001). Post hoc comparisons revealed faster serves for AF compared to control serves without instruction/feedback (p < 0.01) and compared to EF (p < 0.05), whereas no significant difference was found between EF and IF (p = 0.81). The fastest service speeds were found in the AF condition, whereas the combination of AF + EF did not further promote performance. The number of serves landed in the target zone did not differ between conditions (p = 0.17). Thus, no speed-accuracy trade-off was found, indicating that enhanced service speeds did not result in less serves landed in the target zone. Augmented feedback seems most beneficial to instantly enhance tennis serve performance. In contrast to previous studies with recreational sportsmen, EF did not differ from IF, providing further evidence that expertise level and task-relevant instructions mediate the influence of attentional focus on motor performance.

Does Tennis Training Improve Attention? New Approach

“…There are many studies in the literature that have parallels with the results of this study [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. In their study on national tennis players, Keller et al stated that the external attention focus was higher as a percentage when testing individuals’ serving shots to the target area [ 23 ]. These studies found that training or exercise had a positive effect on attention.…”

Kinematic characteristics of the tennis serve from the ad and deuce court service positions in elite junior players

“…This stroke allows players to gain points with very short rallies and percentage of points won after the first serve correspond to around 72-81% [4,5]. Additionally, a successful first serve has evolved into a powerful tool to achieve direct points or to take instant initiative within a rally [6]. Nevertheless, it is also the most difficult stroke to master due to the complex combination and coordination of limb and joint movements required to summate and transfer forces from the ground up into the racquet head, reported as the kinetic chain [7].…”

Strength Training Method for Tennis Players

“…In this paper, the independent sample size of the two groups was used as the independent sample size of the experimental and control groups. 5 The experimental and control groups' data before and after the test were all verified by matching sampling t. The rank sum test method was used for those that did not meet the t-test. P<0.05 is a significant difference.…”