An analysis of the available resources in this field did not reveal a similar study. There are likely two reasons for this: 1) there are not many tennis federations or research institutions with such a comprehensive database (in terms of the number of athletes involved and the duration of tracking), and 2) most tennis federations do not have testing data for all of the most successful tennis players in their databases.
Tennis involves complex technical, tactical, conditioning, and psychological elements. It consists of various types of strokes and movements, which require the player to possess a wide range of physical and mental abilities. Success in tennis depends on mastering numerous factors, such as health status, morphological and motor dimensions, psychological abilities, and player experience. Managing the training process, which includes planning, monitoring, and evaluating, is crucial for the long-term development of players. The importance of testing and measurements in tennis is immense, as they enable the adjustment of training programs to individual needs and the monitoring of progress.
The purpose of this research was to determine the standards for the potential performance of young tennis players, based on age, gender, and ranking on the professional tennis ladder. The study involved 22 young female tennis players and 10 young male tennis players, aged between 11 and 14 at the time of measurement. Using the results from the past 30 years, we calculated the average values for tests of motor, functional, and morphological abilities.
The key findings of the master's thesis indicate that the average results differ between genders. Boys achieved better results in agility and explosive strength tests, while girls performed better in flexibility tests. With age, all motor abilities improved, with the exception of reduced mobility in the shoulder girdle. The most interesting findings relate to the areas in which young players who later achieved the highest rankings on the professional tennis ladder stood out. Boys, who later reached the best rankings, excelled in the fan drill, backward obstacle course, and quadruple jump tests. Girls, who achieved the highest rankings, also excelled in these tests but additionally stood out in the 9x6-meter run, ball bouncing with a racket, hand tapping, trunk lifts, lateral lunges, lower limb length, and had the lowest abdominal skinfold thickness.
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