A Review of the Activity Profile and Physiological Demands of Tennis Match Play

T oday, tennis is a world-class competitive sport attracting millions of players and fans worldwide. Professional tennis players travel and compete extensively year round, with tournaments on the professional men’s and women’s calendars numbering, for example, 603 and 473, respectively, in 2008, including tournaments and team events for junior, seniors, and wheelchair players. Thus, there are many different opportunities for all level players to compete in any given week of the year. In addition, tennis is a common recreational sport, which is enjoyed by people of all playing abilities. Tennis has evolved from a technical/ tactical game, based on style and finesse to the current fast paced, explosive sport based on physical abilities, where 210 km/h serves are common (56). Therefore, to be competitive and successful, tennis athletes will need a mixture of speed, agility, and power combined with medium to high aerobic capabilities. This successful performance cannot be defined by one predominating physical attribute; tennis demands a complex interaction of physical components. Underlying these physical components are cognitive and psychological processes. Players must display supreme reactive, anticipatory, and decision-making capacities while possessing the mental rigor to cope with ensuing fatigue and the pressures of match-deciding points and significant extrinsic rewards (e.g., ranking, money endorsements) (48).