Author(s): BOTTURA, R., FERRANDO, V., PLACIDILLI, F., RUGGERI, P., FAELLI, E., BISIO, A. , Institution: UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI VERONA, Country: ITALY, Abstract-ID: 1491

INTRODUCTION:
In sports like tennis, an athlete’s technique is a key factor in determining their success. To improve technical skills, it is essential to understand the biomechanical characteristics of each movement in the sport. In tennis, the forehand is the most commonly used groundstroke during a match (1). This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the duration of the forehand stroke and shot precision.
METHODS:
Sixteen skilled tennis players of both sex (11 males, 5 females; age: 14.88 ± 2.06 years, height: 1.71 ± 0.10 m, weight: 59.13 ± 11.59 kg, Italian National Class: 3.11 ± 0.43) were evaluated before and after six weeks of routine training during a non-competitive phase. The test involved performing 15 forehands with maximal acceleration from a standing position. Each forehand was video recorded for subsequent analysis of movement duration using Kinovea software, and precision was recorded by marking whether the ball landed in or out of the court. Total movement duration was divided into two phases for analysis: the backswing to impact (initial phase) and the impact to follow-through (final phase).
RESULTS:
The results indicate a significant reduction in total movement duration (PRE: 814.69 ± 67.68 ms; POST: 715.59 ± 42.97 ms; t(15) = 6.641, p < 0.001, Cohens d = 1.66), suggesting improved efficiency. However, no significant differences were observed in precision (PRE: 9.13 ± 2.19 balls in; POST: 10.00 ± 2.66 balls in: t(15) = -1.431, p = 0.173). A significant negative correlation was found between precision and the final phase of the movement (r = −0.40, p = 0.023), highlighting the importance of efficient technique in improving shot precision. Additionally, a linear regression model including the initial and final phases as predictors showed that the latter significantly explains the variability in precision (β = -0.027, p = 0.025). Nevertheless, the model accounts for only 19.6% of this variability (R² = 0.196), indicating that other factors also play a significant role.
CONCLUSION:
These findings suggest that optimizing specific phases of movement, particularly the second phase, may enhance tennis forehand performance. While improvements in movement duration were evident, their direct impact on shot precision remains influenced by other factors, such as technical and strategic adjustments. Further studies are recommended to explore these dynamics in detail.