Author(s): TAMULEVICIUS, N., ALIAS, T.1,2, SEUNATH, D.1, SMALL, J.1, VASENINA, E.1, VOJNOVIC, D.3, WIEWELHOVE, T.4, ANDERSEN, J.C.1, Institution: THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA, Country: UNITED STATES, Abstract-ID: 1152

INTRODUCTION:
Tennis is a high-intensity, intermittent sport characterized by brief bouts of near-maximal effort interspersed with short periods of active recovery between points (1, 2). Match performance depends on the integrated contribution of multiple physical qualities, including speed, agility, muscular power, endurance, strength, and neuromuscular coordination (3). However, the seasonal time course of the physiological parameters underpinning these qualities in NCAA Division II tennis players remains poorly described. The aim of the study was to evaluate physiological parameters in female tennis players during their NCAA Division II season.
METHODS:
Eight female NCAA-D II tennis players participated in the study (20.1 ± 1.5 years, 167.2 ± 7.5 cm, 63.2 ± 7.2 kg). During the season, on average, they played 20.5 matches (273.4 games) each. Body composition (DEXA), countermovement jump height (force plate), maximal oxygen consumption (Metabolic System), tennis-specific agility T-test, reaction time (Dynavision), and anaerobic power (modified Wingate) were measured before, mid-season, and immediately after the season. Repeated-measures ANOVA with Greenhouse–Geisser correction was used to assess time effects, followed by Holm-adjusted post-hoc tests when appropriate. Effect sizes were reported as partial eta-squared (η²).
RESULTS:
A significant time effect was observed for relative VO₂max (F = 9.96, p = 0.017, η² = 0.714). VO₂max declined from pre-season to mid-season (44.3 ± 2.3 to 41.4 ± 2.5 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, p = 0.007), then rebounded from mid-season to post-season (41.4 ± 2.5 to 43.3 ± 3.7 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, p = 0.042), with no difference between pre- and post-season (p = 0.166). No significant time effects were observed for body mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, bone mineral density, jump height, peak force, impulse, take-off velocity, reaction time, or anaerobic power variables (all p > 0.05), although several neuromuscular and power variables showed moderate-to-large effect sizes across the season (η² ≈ 0.13–0.22).
CONCLUSION:
Across the competitive season, NCAA Division II women’s tennis players maintained body composition and neuromuscular performance, but demonstrated a transient mid-season reduction in aerobic capacity that recovered by post-season. This suggests that in-season training and competition may temporarily compromise aerobic fitness without impairing power or strength, highlighting the importance of targeted conditioning strategies to preserve endurance across the season.

References:
1. Kovacs, M. S. (2006). Applied Physiology of Tennis Performance. Br. J. Sports Med., 40(5), 381–386.
2. Kraemer, W. J., et al. (2003). Physiological Changes with Periodized Resistance Training in Women Tennis Players. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 35(1), 157–168.
3. Reid, M. et al. (2008). Strength and Conditioning in Tennis: Current Research and Practice. J. Sci. Med. Sport , 11(3), 248–256.