Relationship between split-step timing and leg stiffness in world-class tennis players when returning fast serves |
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| Authors: | Sami Mecheri Guillaume Laffaye Céline Triolet David Leroy Matt Dicks Mohamed A Choukou |
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| Institution: | 1. Laboratory for Road Operations, Perception, Simulators and Simulation, IFSTTAR, Université Paris-Est, Francesami.mecheri@ifsttar.fr;3. CIAMS, Université Paris-Saclay, France;4. CIAMS, Université d’Orléans, France;5. CETAPS Laboratory, University of, Rouen Normandie, France;6. Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Portsmouth, UK;7. Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Department of Rehabilitation, Université Laval, Canada |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACTThis study investigated split-step timing when returning serves and whether this timing is related to neuromechanical capabilities in world-class tennis players. In Experiment 1, the split-step timing of four groups of world-class players (male and female ATP/WTA seniors, and ITF juniors) was measured on court when returning serves of the same level players. The four groups initiated the split-step at a similar time, starting around the time ball-racket contact in the serve stroke and landed when early ball-flight information was available. In Experiment 2, the neuromechanical capabilities (leg stiffness and vertical jump performance) of a group of world-class players and three groups of less-skilled tennis players were examined. The results showed an increase in leg stiffness with an increase in the level of expertise. A cross-experiment analysis in world-class male players (ATP/ITF, n = 10) revealed that the timing of initial foot movement was significantly correlated with the leg stiffness (r2 = 0.54), with later lateral step after the serve in the players who had higher stiffness. The findings support the hypothesis that world-class tennis players adapt perceptual-motor control on the basis of their neuromechanical capabilities and maximise the time before initiating their interceptive action to rely on more reliable information. |
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| Keywords: | Perception action interception expertise spring-mass model |
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