PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF A COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Authors

Regina Lutskiy, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus)Follow
Elena Tendero-Ortiz, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus)Follow
Cameron Horsfall, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus)Follow
Matthew Johnson, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus)Follow
Gregory J. Grosicki, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus)Follow
Bryan L. Riemann, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus)Follow
Andrew A. Flatt, Georgia Southern University (Armstrong Campus)Follow

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of internal and external competition workload parameters can be used to influence preparatory training sessions. However, descriptive information pertaining to the demands of a collegiate women’s tennis tournament have yet to be reported. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare singles and doubles match loads acquired from a three-day collegiate women’s tennis tournament. METHODS: Nine players (19.7 ± 2.1 years, 170.2 ± 7.0 cm, 62.0 ± 8.2 kg) from a Division-1 women’s tennis team participated in the study. Mean and peak heart rate were recorded with Bluetooth chest-belt heart rate monitors. Movement parameters were recorded with wearable Global Positioning System devices (10 Hz) and included total duration, peak speed, mean speed, total distance, and distance covered in each speed zone (Zone 1 = 0 - 1.5 m/s; Zone 2 = 1.5 - 3 m/s; Zone 3 = 3 - 4 m/s; Zone 4 = 4 - 5.5 m/s). Parametric (reported as mean ± standard deviation) or non-parametric (reported as median [inter-quartile range]) pairwise comparisons were used for analyses. RESULTS: Mean (161.6 ± 8.6 vs. 151.5 ± 11.2 b∙min-1) and peak heart rate (191 ± 6.8 vs. 184.8 ± 7.3 b∙min-1) were higher for singles versus doubles matches (P <0.05). Total duration (90 [54] vs. 37 [11] min), total distance (4023 [2253] vs. 1545 [620] m), and peak speed (5.6 ± 0.5 vs. 4.9 ± 0.6 m/s), but not mean speed (0.7 ± 0.1 vs. 0.7 ± 0.1 m/s), were higher for singles versus doubles matches (P <0.05). Lastly, all distances covered in Zone 1 (2768 [1625] vs. 1159 [459] m) through Zone 4 (48 [64] vs. 0 [16]) were higher for singles versus doubles matches (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Singles match demands were more intensive than doubles match demands. Cardiovascular and movement data reported herein provide novel insight into the demands of women’s collegiate tennis and may influence preparatory conditioning strategies that are specific to competition.

Recommended Citation

Lutskiy, Regina; Tendero-Ortiz, Elena; Horsfall, Cameron; Johnson, Matthew; Grosicki, Gregory J.; Riemann, Bryan L.; and Flatt, Andrew A. (2024) "PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF A COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S TENNIS TOURNAMENT," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 16: Iss. 3, Article 173.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol16/iss3/173