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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Sports Act. Living
Sec. Biomechanics and Control of Human Movement
Volume 6 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1451174

Effect of slow and fast serve on kinematic and kinetic parameters in tennis: correlation analysis Are there kinematic and kinetic parameters correlated with racket velocity during the tennis serve? A preliminary comparison between a slow and a fast serve for performance improvement

Provisionally accepted
Philippe GORCE Philippe GORCE 1,2Julien JACQUIER-BRET Julien JACQUIER-BRET 1,2*
  • 1 Université de Toulon, La Garde, France
  • 2 International Institute of Biomechanics and Occupational Ergonomics, Hyères, France

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The tennis serve is a complex motion with numerous rotations which are important to manage for performance. The main aim of this study was to investigate kinematic parameters, including the evolution of the center of gravity, and kinetic parameters correlated with racket velocity over all phases of the tennis serve. The secondary objective was to find out which of the correlated parameters differed between a slow and a fast serve. The advantage of such an approach would be to propose biomechanical parameters that coaches and teachers could use to optimize performance or learn how to serve. Quantitative analysis was carried out on 5 flat serves performed by four ranked players using an optoelectronic system (82 markers located on whole body and racket) composed of 10 infrared cameras (150 Hz) and two force platforms (750 Hz). A descriptive statistical analysis highlighted 11 very large and almost perfect correlations with racket velocity: vertical ground reaction force of back foot in release backward, trunk axial rotation during loading phase, back and front knee flexions, dominant shoulder and hip mediolateral rotation during cocking phase, and center of gravity vertical velocity, dominant shoulder medial rotation velocity, dominant elbow flexion, trunk flexion/extension and axial rotation during acceleration phase. Differences were observed for some of the correlated parameters between slow and fast serve. Consequently, all these correlated kinematic and kinetics parameters constitute information that coaches, instructors and athletes can use to improve, optimize or teach the tennis serve.

    Keywords: Tennis serve, Trophy position, racket low point, ball impact, cocking phase, Acceleration phase, coaching, performance

    Received: 18 Jun 2024; Accepted: 17 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 GORCE and JACQUIER-BRET. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Julien JACQUIER-BRET, Université de Toulon, La Garde, France

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