Playing not once, not twice but three times in a day: the effect of fatigue on performance in junior tennis players

Abstract

This study examined physical and perceptual responses to multiple daily tennis matches. Six junior males completed 3 x min singles matches, each separated by 45 min recovery. Physical capacity (agility, countermovement jump [CMJ]), shoulder internal and external rotation (IR, ER), serve performance, creatine kinase (CK) and perceptual (soreness, pain, and fatigue) measures were performed before match 1 and following each match. During matches, distances and speeds covered, stroke count and stroke acceleration magnitudes were assessed. Between-match changes (effect size  90% confidence interval [CI]) 75% likely to exceed the smallest important effect size (ES=0.20) were considered practically important. Movement distance (-0.630.90, 81% likely) and mean speed (-0.610.82, 82% likely) decreased only in match 2. Total strokes played also reduced in match 2 (-11.017.7, 84% likely), without changes in stroke acceleration magnitudes. Serve accuracy declined post-match 3 (0.761.15, 81% likely), though speed did not change. CMJ height was unchanged, though shoulder IR and ER declined (-0.570.44, 92% likely), as did agility (0.750.35, 99% likely) by post-match 3. CK, pain, fatigue and soreness ratings increased throughout. Same-day tennis matches impair physical capacities and increase fatigue and soreness. Betweenmatch fluctuations in stroke count and movement also infer altered technical elements of match-play.

Effects of a Tennis Match on Perceived Fatigue, Jump and Sprint Performances on Recreational Players

“…By the way, CMJ values were not affected by the match: indeed, no significant difference has been found in none of the three testing conditions. This is in accordance with the results of Brink-Elfegoun and colleagues [10], who reported no significant reductions in CMJ performance after 3 tennis matches over 36h (2h per match), and with Maraga and colleagues [9] observing no change in CMJ height after 3 single matches on the same day (90 min per match). Differently, CMJ height was reduced post 2 tennis matches (to the best of 3 sets) played on the same day among young tennis players [8], and a reduction of about 10% on CMJ height was reported by Gomes et al [26] immediately after a 3h match, thus indicating non-univocal changes of power performance of the lower limbs in tournament contexts.…”

“…During a tournament, several matches may be played across 1 or 2 weeks. Recent studies have investigated the physical performance response of tennis players competing in multiple singles matches in a day [8,9] or over a 36h period [10]. Despite the noted impaired physical capacities and increased fatigue in same-day tennis matches, it is unclear whether similar changes are univocal.…”

Analysis of Characteristics of Tennis Singles Matches Based on 5G and Data Mining Technology

“…erefore, tennis players must use data mining technology to assist their technical and tactical decisions [18,19]. Data mining technology of characteristics of tennis singles matches is shown in Figure 1.…”

Probability of winning and match length in Tiebreak Ten tennis

“…This makes breaks of serve less frequent at Wimbledon and has resulted in some very long final sets at this tournaments (O'Donoghue, 2013). This, in turn, can result in match congestion which is associated with decreasing serve accuracy (Marage, Duffield, Gescheit, Perri, & Reid, 2018), increased pain ratings (Marage et al, 2018), increased error rates (Gescheit et al, 2016) and fatigue (Fernandez-Fernandez, Sanz-Rivas, & Mendez-Villanueva, 2009). This leads to the question as to why final set tiebreaks at Wimbledon occur later than they do at the Australian Open.…”