The comparison of a top-level Japanese tennis player's serve-performance evolution between two seasons

Abstract

This study sought to determine the impact of changes in serve performance (relationship between speed, spin rate, reproducibility, and impact height) on world rankings for one top-level Japanese tennis player in 2017, when he became the All Japan Student Champion, and in 2022, when he represented Japan in the Davis Cup and won the ITF tournament (M25 Monastir: 10 Jan - 16 Jan 2022). This study clarifies the impact of changes in serve performance on world rankings in 2022. The results showed that, among the three types of serves (flat, slice, and kick), there were higher values for slice and kick in 2022 compared to 2017. Higher ball speed values were found for flat in 2022 and lower values for slice and kick in 2017. In 2022, all serve heights were higher, resulting in an increase in the flat success rate, which had the lowest reproducibility. These results suggest that longitudinal measurement and evaluation of the relationship between speed, spin rate, reproducibility, and impact height when serving is important for improving competitive performance.