Investigation of the Relationship Between Different Tennis Serving Techniques and Ball Speed Parameters and Some Anthropometric Characteristics

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare three different tennis serving techniques (flat, topspin, slice) and ball speed parameters with some anthropometric characteristics. In the study, a baseline and correlational model was used. The sample of the study consisted of 36 (18 female and 18 male) competitive tennis athletes between the ages of 14 and 16 years registered in the Tennis Eskrim Dağcılık Sports Club in Istanbul/Sarıyer district. During the data collection process, height and weight measurements were taken and body mass index was calculated. Serving ball speeds of the athletes were measured using a reliable handheld radar gun. The data were analyzed using The Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 24.0 software (IBM Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA)S, repeated measures analysis of variance (2 gender × 3 serving techniques) test was used to compare the joint effect of serving techniques and group variables on ball speed, and Pearson correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between anthropometric characteristics and ball speed. As a result of the analyses, no significant difference was observed in the common effect of three different serving techniques on the ball speed of men and women (F (1,256; 42,705)=1.837, p > ,05, η2=0,051). When the eta squared value is analyzed, it is seen that the effect of different serving techniques on ball speed is at a low level (0,051). When the main effect of serving techniques was analyzed regardless of gender group, it can be said that the difference between individuals’ ball speed was significant (F (1,256; 42,705)=31,294, p ,05). The findings obtained can form the basis for developing training strategies for service speed and efficiency in tennis.