Examınatıon of Performance Parameters of Elıte Level Players in Tennıs Competıtıons Played on Open and Closed Courts

Authors : Sedat Özcan, Yalçın Kaya

Pages : 341-352

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Publication Date : 2025-09-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study aimed to examine the effects of different court surfaces (outdoor hard, indoor hard, and clay) on the physiological and performance parameters of elite tennis players using a GPS-based tracking system. It was hypothesized that different court surfaces would impose distinct physiological loads and performance demands, with clay courts expected to require greater endurance and higher physiological stress compared to hard court .Sixteen elite players (mean age 13.7±0.1 years, height 157.4±4.1 cm, body weight 53.9±3.9 kg, training age 9.5±0.8 years, BMI 20.5±0.01) participated voluntarily. Each player completed three matches on different courts with 72-hour rest intervals. Standardized tennis-specific warm-up and stretching protocols were applied before matches. During competition, Catapult GPS vests and Polar monitors recorded average and maximum heart rate, total running distance, sprint counts, maximum speed, distance per minute, and average speed. Data were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk, t-tests, one-way or repeated-measures ANOVA, and Bonferroni post-hoc tests with SPSS 26. Significant differences were observed across court types. Outdoor hard courts yielded lower average and maximum heart rates compared to indoor and clay courts (p<0.01). Total running distance was significantly lower on indoor courts compared to outdoor and clay courts (p<0.01). Sprint counts were also lower on indoor courts, while outdoor courts showed lower values than clay (p<0.01). Maximum speed values were higher on clay compared to outdoor courts (p<0.01), and indoor courts were higher than clay (p<0.05). Distance per minute was greatest on clay courts (p<0.01), followed by indoor and outdoor courts. No significant differences were found in average match speeds (p>0.05). Court surface significantly influences physiological load and performance outcomes in tennis. These findings suggest that training and match preparation programs should consider surface-specific physical demands to optimize athlete performance.
Keywords : Catapult, , Polar Team Pro, , Tenis Performans

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