Relationship between split-step timing and leg stiffness in world-class tennis players when returning fast serves

ABSTRACT

This study investigated split-step timing when returning serves and whether this timing is related to neuromechanical capabilities in world-class tennis players. In Experiment 1, the split-step timing of four groups of world-class players (male and female ATP/WTA seniors, and ITF juniors) was measured on court when returning serves of the same level players. The four groups initiated the split-step at a similar time, starting around the time ball-racket contact in the serve stroke and landed when early ball-flight information was available. In Experiment 2, the neuromechanical capabilities (leg stiffness and vertical jump performance) of a group of world-class players and three groups of less-skilled tennis players were examined. The results showed an increase in leg stiffness with an increase in the level of expertise. A cross-experiment analysis in world-class male players (ATP/ITF, n = 10) revealed that the timing of initial foot movement was significantly correlated with the leg stiffness (r² = 0.54), with later lateral step after the serve in the players who had higher stiffness. The findings support the hypothesis that world-class tennis players adapt perceptual-motor control on the basis of their neuromechanical capabilities and maximise the time before initiating their interceptive action to rely on more reliable information.

KEYWORDS:

• Perception
• action
• interception
• expertise
• spring-mass model

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by funding from the Institut National du Sport, de l’Expertise et de la Performance (INSEP, grant number 12R36). The authors are grateful to the French Tennis Federation (FFT) for the partnership and the support for the research project and the experiments. They also thank staff from the FFT Bernard Pestre, Paul Quetin, Pascal Supiot and Laurent Raymond. The authors are also grateful to Heloïse Baillet, Franck Bouzard, Maroua Mallek, Cynthia Mandil, Dominic Orth and Régis Thouvarecq for their help during the experiments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Institut National du Sport, de l’Expertise et de la Performance (FR) [12R36];