REVIEW

Applied physiology of tennis performance

M S Kovacs

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Mark S Kovacs
University of Alabama, Department of Kinesiology, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, USA; mark{at}metisperformance.com

Competitive tennis play requires a combination of the major physiological variables; however, the specifics of these variables have yet to be determined appropriately. General strength and flexibility training have been suggested as being beneficial for performance and injury prevention, yet specific guidelines are lacking. This paper provides a review of specific studies that relate to competitive tennis, and highlights the need for tennis-specific training as opposed to generalised physical training. It identifies specific studies that support the premise that tennis has physiological requirements which need to be understood when designing training and research programmes.

Abbreviations: ROM, range of motion; USTA, United States Tennis Association

Keywords: tennis; conditioning; training; competition

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COMMENTARY

A J Pearce

Victoria University, School of Human Movement, Rec and Perf, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; alan.pearce{at}vu.edu.au

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