Original scientific paper
A COMPARISON OF TENNIS PLAYERS' LOADS ON TWO DIFFERENT COURT SURFACES
Petar Barbaros Tudor
Branka R. Matković
Dario Novak
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare tennis players’ physiological demands on different tennis surfaces: clay court and hard court. The study included twenty senior players aged 21.45±3.45, from ATP (from 400 ATP) to national level (to 25th place in Croatia’s national rankings). They played 20 matches, 10 on a clay court and 10 on a hard court. Same pairs of players played on both surfaces (hard court - clay court). All matches where recorded using two digital video cameras in order to obtain reliable match statistics data. The demands of tennis match play were assessed by monitoring heart rate and lactate level. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that, for the same pairs of players, the type of court surface impacted physiological demands differently, thus yielding higher heart rates and higher energy expenditures during match play on the clay court. Interestingly, differences in energy demands on the clay court when certain parts of match play (point, games) lasted for longer periods of time did not produce significant differences in the number of points played out during a one-hour match period. Thus, in one hour of match play, more points were not achieved on the hard court, but the ball was in play for a significantly longer period of time during the points, games, and during the one-hour period of match play. The points differed in terms of structure and demands because, during the match play on the clay court, the players performed more strokes, and the duration of the rallies, points, and games was longer. These factors provide a primary explanation as to why energy expenditures wee higher on the clay court surface.
Keywords
tennis; clay; hard court; load
Hrčak ID:
20119
URI
Publication date:
28.12.2007.
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