ORIGINAL PAPER
Serve efficiency development in women’s vs. men’s professional tennis
Tobias Vogt
1,3
1
Institute of Professional Sport Education and Sport Qualifications, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
2
Brain Game Tennis, Austin, USA
3
Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
Submission date: 2021-02-17
Acceptance date: 2021-08-05
Publication date: 2021-10-26
Hum Mov. 2022;23(2):128-137
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
The purpose was to identify possible gender-specific differences in long-term serve efficiency development in professional women’s and men’s tennis.
Methods:
The analyses focused on 2 approaches: (1) total tournament comparison and (2) 2nd tournament week vs. 1st tournament week comparison. The data include all single matches at the Wimbledon Championship between 2002 and 2015 (ladies: n = 1771, gentlemen: n = 1772).
Results:
The findings showed significant development differences in favour of elite men over elite women in both comparisons. Regarding the total tournament comparison, men’s development of 2nd serve points won (p < 0.001; r = 0.86), 1st serves in (p < 0.05; r = 0.72), and double fault (p < 0.001; r = 0.85) percentages improved significantly more. As per the 2nd tournament week vs. 1st tournament week comparison, men’s development of 2nd serve points won (p < 0.05; r = 0.68) and double fault (p < 0.01; r = 0.86) percentages improved significantly more.
Conclusions:
The study revealed serve efficiency development advantages for men over women in both comparisons, especially regarding the quality of the 2nd serve, whereas no development advantages in favour of women over men could be observed in any analysed parameter, indicating possible needs to adapt elite women’s coaching.
The purpose was to identify possible gender-specific differences in long-term serve efficiency development in professional women’s and men’s tennis.
Methods:
The analyses focused on 2 approaches: (1) total tournament comparison and (2) 2nd tournament week vs. 1st tournament week comparison. The data include all single matches at the Wimbledon Championship between 2002 and 2015 (ladies: n = 1771, gentlemen: n = 1772).
Results:
The findings showed significant development differences in favour of elite men over elite women in both comparisons. Regarding the total tournament comparison, men’s development of 2nd serve points won (p < 0.001; r = 0.86), 1st serves in (p < 0.05; r = 0.72), and double fault (p < 0.001; r = 0.85) percentages improved significantly more. As per the 2nd tournament week vs. 1st tournament week comparison, men’s development of 2nd serve points won (p < 0.05; r = 0.68) and double fault (p < 0.01; r = 0.86) percentages improved significantly more.
Conclusions:
The study revealed serve efficiency development advantages for men over women in both comparisons, especially regarding the quality of the 2nd serve, whereas no development advantages in favour of women over men could be observed in any analysed parameter, indicating possible needs to adapt elite women’s coaching.
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