Hormonal and neuromuscular responses during a singles match in male professional tennis players

Álvaro López-Samanes,Jesús G Pallarés,Alberto Pérez-López,Juan F Ortega,Ricardo Mora-Rodríguez,Alejandro Lucía

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0195242

Álvaro López-Samanes, Jesús G Pallarés + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195242

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Abstract

We sought to measure the response of cortisol concentrations around a professional tennis match and its association with hydration status and neuromuscular performance. Nine professional male tennis players were tested in a rest day, and 2-week after, during the first match of a professional tournament played in a clay-court. Salivary concentrations of cortisol (SalCC) were measured in a resting day (9:00 am and 8:00 pm), at the match day (9:00 am and 8:00 pm) and immediately before and after the match. Hydration status was assessed before the match (urine specific gravity; USG) while fluid turnover was tracked during the match. Finally, counter movement jump (CMJ) and handgrip isometric strength (HS) were measured before and after the match. SalCC, either in the morning (P = 0.161) and afternoon (P = 0.683) was similar in rest and match days. However, SalCC increased after the match (P = 0.033). Participants started the match hypohydrated (USG = 1.026±0.002) and during the match lost 1.0±0.3% of body weight despite 1.035±0.124 L/h of fluid ingested. CMJ and HS did not change post-match (P = 0.210 and P = 0.881, respectively). Correlations between the elevations in SalCC and dehydration (% BW loss) during the match were significant (r = -0.632; P = 0.034). Professional male tennis players did not show an anticipatory increase in SalCC the day of the match and neither signs of neuromuscular fatigue after it. During the match, the mild dehydration (i.e., <1.5%) was associated with the increases in cortisol levels which suggests that dehydration may be an added stress to be considered.

Highlights

The main finding of this study is that Salivary concentrations of cortisol (SalCC) in the morning before an official match and the corresponding night, were not different from the concentrations measured at the same time points during a control-resting day, despite an acute increase in SalCC evidenced 10 minutes after the match
We show that the acute increase in SalCC occur without evidence of alteration of the mechanisms involved in muscle activation and in consequence force production in both, upper and lower extremities (CMJ and handgrip isometric strength (HS), respectively)
It is remarkable that neuromuscular fatigue is not evident, despite participants competed in a hypohydrated state (USG>1.020) and during the match developed a mild dehydration (~ 1% body weight loss)

Summary

Introduction

Salivary cortisol concentrations around a professional tennis match. Federation[1] During a tennis match, players execute high-intensity actions characterized by short bouts of high intensity exercise (4–10 seconds), which are composed by accelerations/ decelerations, strokes and change-of-direction (COD) interspersed with periods of low-moderate intensity or rest (short break between points (10–20 seconds) and moderate rest between games and sets (90–120 seconds), with match duration between 1–5 hours[2, 3]. Demands of a tennis match may produce decrease in neuromuscular performance as a consequence of alterations in the mechanisms involved in muscle activation. Decrease in neuromuscular performance has been studied in several exercise/sports modalities using a relatively simple and feasible test, the counter-movement jump (CMJ)[4]. It is denominated as neuromuscular fatigue (NMF). The response of stress hormones like cortisol has been shown to be significantly increased during a tennis match[7, 8]

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