conclusion

 

This blog as examined the biomechanical principles within the tennis serve. Through this blog the optimal movement stages within the tennis serve to increase velocity have been explored and include information about injury prevention.

The three movement stages that have been noted as the optimal movement stages to increase the velocity of the serve, including preparation stage, acceleration stage and the follow through stage. Through each stage there are multiple phases with biomechanical principles have been analysed. These include; throughout the preparation stage establishing a stable centre of mass will allow for a good base support and a balanced serve. Athletes should utilise the kinetic chain to through the segments effortlessly as they utilise leg drive to produce and generate power into the acceleration stage. In the acceleration stage player shoulders are very important in producing fast and powerful serves. Angular velocity is a biomechanical principle that can help players and coaches determine and identify the speed the shoulder is moving throughout the serve, hence can help improve players technique and overall serve velocity. It is also crucial to understand the importance of the racket design, as a heavier racket will not increase the torque produces open the ball, slowing the overall velocity. Finally, the follow through is important to ensure an effective service motion. To increase velocity throughout serve motion, players can increase the rate at which they decelerate to allow a quick transition. The declaration of the athlete is influenced by their potential momentum.

References 

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Instructables. (2012, October 17). How to Serve a Tennis Ball (for Righties). Instructables; Instructables. https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Serve-a-Tennis-Ball-for-righties/

Kovacs, M., & Ellenbecker, T. (2011). An 8-Stage Model for Evaluating the Tennis Serve: Implications for Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention. Sports Health, 3(6), 504–513. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738111414175

Kovacs, M. S., & Ellenbecker, T. S. (2011). A Performance Evaluation of the Tennis Serve: Implications for Strength, Speed, Power, and Flexibility Training. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 33(4), 22–30. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0b013e318225d59a

O’Donoghue, G. P., & Brown, E. (2008). The importance of service in Grand Slam singles tennis. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 8(3), 70-78.

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