Racket Sports Research Articles

Compilation of the model of professional competences among the coaches of racket games in Iraq

The general purpose of this research was to develop a model of professional competencies in the coaches of racket games in Iraq. The present research method was qualitative; which was used to build the conceptual model of the research based on Strauss and Corbin's data theory method. The research community was conducted through in-depth interviews with professors and expert academic faculty members, managers of racket sports federations, and theoretical saturation (16 interviews) was obtained from this collection. For sampling in this research, the purposeful snowball sampling method was used, and the tool of the current research was in-depth interviews. The interview questions were open-ended. The categories of coach-athlete challenges, educational challenges and challenges as intervening factors were identified; The categories of interest in sports, coach capabilities and performance drivers were identified as background conditions; The categories of personal knowledge development, attention to training and training sessions, and the growth and development of athletes were identified as strategies; The categories of sports development, improving the quality of life and Nurturment of moral traits were identified as the consequences of improving the professional competences of coaches in Iraq's racket sports.

Reliability and Accuracy of the Fitbit Charge 4 Photoplethysmography Heart Rate Sensor in Ecological Conditions: Validation Study.

Wrist-worn photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors allow for continuous heart rate (HR) measurement without the inconveniences of wearing a chest belt. Although green light PPG technology reduces HR measurement motion artifacts, only a limited number of studies have investigated the reliability and accuracy of wearables in non-laboratory-controlled conditions with actual specific and various physical activity movements. The purpose of this study was to (1) assess the reliability and accuracy of the PPG-based HR sensor of the Fitbit Charge 4 (FC4) in ecological conditions and (2) quantify the potential variability caused by the nature of activities. We collected HR data from participants who performed badminton, tennis, orienteering running, running, cycling, and soccer while simultaneously wearing the FC4 and the Polar H10 chest belt (criterion sensor). Skin tone was assessed with the Fitzpatrick Skin Scale. Once data from the FC4 and criterion data were synchronized, accuracy and reliability analyses were performed, using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), Lin concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs), mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs), and Bland-Altman tests. A linear univariate model was also used to evaluate the effect of skin tone on bias. All analyses were stratified by activity and pooled activity types (racket sports and running sports). A total of 77.5 hours of HR recordings from 26 participants (age: mean 21.1, SD 5.8 years) were analyzed. The highest reliability was found for running sports, with ICCs and CCCs of 0.90 and 0.99 for running and 0.80 and 0.93 for orienteering running, respectively, whereas the ICCs and CCCs were 0.37 and 0.78, 0.42 and 0.88, 0.65 and 0.97, and 0.49 and 0.81 for badminton, tennis, cycling, and soccer, respectively. We found the highest accuracy for running (bias: 0.1 beats per minute [bpm]; MAPE 1.2%, SD 4.6%) and the lowest for badminton (bias: -16.5 bpm; MAPE 16.2%, SD 14.4%) and soccer (bias: -16.5 bpm; MAPE 17.5%, SD 20.8%). Limit of agreement (LOA) width and artifact rate followed the same trend. No effect of skin tone was observed on bias. LOA width, bias, and MAPE results found for racket sports and soccer suggest a high sensitivity to motion artifacts for activities that involve "sharp" and random arm movements. In this study, we did not measure arm motion, which limits our results. However, whereas individuals might benefit from using the FC4 for casual training in aerobic sports, we cannot recommend the use of the FC4 for specific purposes requiring high reliability and accuracy, such as research purposes.

Deepracket: AI powered player performance evaluation in racket sports

Deepracket: AI powered player performance evaluation in racket sports

Prevalence and associated factors for primary osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint in the general elderly population: A cohort survey randomly sampled from a basic resident registry of a small rural town in Japan

BackgroundOsteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint often presents pain and affects activity of daily life. There is no consensus regarding prevalence of primary radiographic osteoarthritis and symptomatic osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint, and their associated factors are not well investigated. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of primary radiographic and symptomatic osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint in a resident cohort. MethodsA total of 1297 residents aged 50 to 89 were randomly sampled from a small rural town in Japan, and their demographic data and questionnaire regarding lifestyle and job were obtained. All participants underwent posteroanterior radiographs of the bilateral hands. Participants with thumb carpometacarpal joint radiographic osteoarthritis were diagnosed if one of their thumb carpometacarpal joints was Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2, 3, or 4. Symptomatic osteoarthritis was diagnosed by tenderness or positive motion pain at the thumb base. Associated factors for the thumb carpometacarpal joint radiographic osteoarthritis were statistically analyzed. ResultsA total of 646 thumbs with 323 participants (153 male and 170 female) were investigated. The mean age was 69.1 (range 50–89) years, The prevalence of thumb carpometacarpal joint radiographic osteoarthritis was 17.3 % (13.7 % males and 20.6 % females) and that of thumb carpometacarpal joint symptomatic osteoarthritis was 3.1 %. Associated factors for thumb carpometacarpal joint radiographic osteoarthritis were presence of finger joint radiographic osteoarthritis in the ipsilateral hand, increasing age, and female in order of degree of relevance. Dominant hand, body mass index, smoking history, heavy manual or agriculture work, use of vibrating tools, racket or bat sports, or scaphotapeziotrapezoidal joint radiographic osteoarthritis were not associated factors for thumb carpometacarpal joint radiographic osteoarthritis. ConclusionsThe prevalence of thumb carpometacarpal joint primary radiographic osteoarthritis in general Japanese elderly aged 50–89 years was 17.3 %, most of carpometacarpal joint radiographic osteoarthritis was asymptomatic.

Differences in Foot Morphology across Age Groups for Women Active in Sport

Introduction: Foot morphology in the general population has been shown to change with age, and active older adults have reported a need for wide-fitting footwear. Methods: This study recruited 374 women active in racket sports and team sports in the UK who had their feet scanned while 50% weight bearing. Participants were grouped into 10-year age bands ranging from 18–29 years to 70–79 years. Data analysis was performed on the widths, heights, and circumferences of participants’ right feet normalised to foot length, as well as an assessment of hallux valgus angle and deformity. Results: The 18–29-year group had significantly smaller measures of foot width, ball of foot circumference and short heel circumference (p < 0.05, η2 = 0.042, η2 = 0.056) compared to the older groups. The foot dorsum height and circumference at 50% foot length were significantly less in the oldest age groups compared to the middle age groups (p = 0.0001, η2 = 0.055 and p = 0.0007, η2 = 0.044, respectively). There was some evidence of increased hallux valgus deformity with age. Conclusion: Designers and manufacturers of athletic footwear should be aware of the changes in foot morphology with age in order to provide more inclusive footwear.

Rocket sports and injuries to the eye and adjacent structures

Rocket sports are growing in popularity year after year in every age group. Like any sport, these also involve an increased likelihood of injury. There are different types of injuries that can be sustained as a result of racquet sports, however, in this paper we will not focus on the most common ones. Instead, we will lean on injuries to the eyeball, which is one of the most delicate structures of the human body. Complications of eyeball injuries can have more or less serious consequences. The most serious may even be total loss of vision, but it is important to keep in mind the possibility of a relatively less serious complication, which, if inadequately treated or ignored, can also result in total blindness. The most common mechanical injury to the eyeball that occurs as a result of racket sports is hemorrhage (hyphema). Since ocular injuries are associated with a high risk of complications, it is recommended that PPE (personal protective equipment)should be an integral part of every athlete’s equipment.Interestingly, lenses or corrective glasses are not considered to be adequate forms of protection. On the contrary, during an impact, they can be damaged and cause an aggravation of the injury. It seems that the use of protective eyewear made of specially designed materials can significantly reduce the likelihood of complications of eye injuries. Equally important may be proper education and promotion of protective measures among players, both professional and amateur. The purpose of this study was to analyze the most common types of injuries to the eye and surrounding structures and the occurrence of possible complications, as well as to review of available methods of preventing these injuries.

Finite Element Analysis of Mechanical Ocular Sequelae from Badminton Shuttlecock Projectile Impact

PurposeWith the growing popularity of badminton worldwide, the incidence of badminton-related ocular injuries is expected to rise. The high velocity of shuttlecocks renders ocular traumas particularly devastating, especially with the possibility of permanent vision loss. This study investigated the mechanism behind ocular complications though simulation analyses of mechanical stresses and pressures upon shuttlecock impact. DesignComputational simulation study ParticipantsNone MethodsA 3-dimensional human eye model was reconstructed based on the physiological and biomechanical properties of various ocular tissues. FEA simulations involved a frontal collision with a shuttlecock projectile at 128.7 km/h (80 mph). Intraocular pressure changes and tissue stress were mapped and quantified in the following ocular structures: the limbus, ciliary body, zonular fibers, ora serrata, retina, and optic nerve head. Main Outcome MeasuresIntraocular pressure and tissue stress ResultsUpon shuttlecock impact, compressive force was transferred to the anterior pole of the cornea, propagating posteriorly to the optic nerve head. Deflection of forces anteriorly contributed to refractory oscillations of compressive and tensile stress of ocular tissue. Initial impact led to a momentary (< 1 ms) spike in intraocular pressure 5.66 MPa (42.5 x 103 mmHg) that radially distributed for a very brief instance (< 1 ms) of pressure at the trabecular meshwork of the iridocorneal angle of 1.25 MPa (9.4 x 103 mmHg). The lens had a maximal posterior displacement of 1.5 mm with peak zonular fiber tensile strain of 52%. The limbus, ciliary body, and ora serrata had a peak tensile stress of 5.16 MPa, 1.90 MPa, and 0.62 MPa, respectively. Compressive force from the sclera concentrated at the optic nerve head for a peak stress of 5.97 MPa while peak pressure from vitreous humor was 7.99 MPa. ConclusionShuttlecock impact led to a very brief, substantial rise in pressure and stress significant for tissue damage and subsequent complications, such as secondary glaucoma, angle recession, lens subluxation, hyphema, or retinal dialysis. Our findings offer valuable mechanistic insights into how ocular structures are affected by shuttlecock projectile impact to inform clinical assessments and treatment strategies, while highlighting the importance of protective eyewear in racket sports.

Effects of functional training on tennis-specific physical fitness and functional movement screen in junior tennis players

Objectives Functional training mimics the coordinated motions of multiple muscle groups and joints performed during exercise. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a 12-week functional training and traditional resistance training on the performance in junior tennis players. Methods Trained tennis players (mean age: 16.6 years) were assigned to a traditional training group (n = 20) or functional training group (n = 20). The traditional training group received a resistance training program by their coach, while the functional training group was given Santana’s Racket Sport Program. At baseline, after six weeks, and after 12 weeks (T12), the participants’ tennis-specific physical fitness and functional movement screen (FMS) were evaluated. Results At T12, both training improved the values for multistage fitness test, hexagon test, planned agility test, sit and reach, and 20 metre sprint (p &lt; 0.05); except the flexibility, functional training provided no additional advantages. At T12, functional training enhanced (p &lt; 0.01) all seven components of the FMS, and there is a 100% probability that the total score of the FMS would be enhanced. In contrast, for the traditional training group, shoulder mobility of the FMS decreased (p = 0.03), and there was no changes in other FMS components at T12. Conclusions Functional training is not only effective in improving tennis-specific physical fitness, but it also provides greater functional movement advantages for junior tennis players compared to traditional resistance training.

Does mental fatigue affect performance in racket sports? A systematic review

Mental fatigue impairs performance across several sports domains. However, a systematic review on its effects on racket sports performance has been lacking due to the previous scarcity of studies. This review aims to provide a comprehensive review the effects of mental fatigue on racket players’ performance, with a discussion of the underlying mechanisms. A thorough search was conducted across five databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus (via EBSCOhost), and the Psychological and Behavioral Science Collection (via EBSCOhost). The PICOS framework established the inclusion criteria: (1) healthy racket sports players; (2) induction of mental fatigue in both field and laboratory settings; (3) comparison of mental fatigue interventions with a control group (e.g., watching a movie or reading a magazine); (4) assessment of performance outcomes, including physical performance, skilled performance, and perceptual-cognitive performance; and (5) randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomized controlled trials (non-RCTs), and non-randomized non-controlled trials. Mental fatigue manipulation, subjective evaluation, and (neuro)physiological markers were synthesized to support the successful induction of mental fatigue. Performance was categorized into tennis, table tennis, badminton, and padel based on the characteristics of specific racket sports domains. Secondary outcomes, such as the rate perception of effort (RPE) and motivation, were synthesized to explain the mechanisms based on the prominent theory of the Psychobiological model of endurance performance. Six studies revealed that mental fatigue impacts stroke performance in table tennis, affecting speed, accuracy, faults, and only second-serve accuracy in tennis. The response time of psychomotor performance increased in table tennis, padel, and badminton. Meanwhile, mental fatigue increased the RPE and remained unchanged in heart rate, blood glucose, and lactate, consistent with the Psychobiological model of endurance performance. Additionally, attention is suggested as a significant underlying psychobiological factor.

Biomechanical Determinants Influencing Smash Performance in Racket Sports from 2000 to 2024: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Biomechanical Determinants Influencing Smash Performance in Racket Sports from 2000 to 2024: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Pickleball: A Standard Review of Injury Prevalence and Prevention in a Rapidly Growing Sport.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States. People of all ages participate in the sport, with the most being aged 35 years or older. Pickleball is a paddle and racket sport with a smaller court size, lighter racket, and similar rules as tennis. From 2019 to 2021, the number of pickleball players increased from 3.3 to 4.8 million. Historically, as a sport grows in popularity, there tends to be a linear increase in injuries. This review compiles data from retrospective studies containing emergency department data and case reports of specific injuries sustained playing pickleball. One factor that could be perceived as favorable concerning injury risk is the smaller court size compared with tennis, although no correlation has been found between court size and rate of injury. The most common injuries presenting to the emergency department among pickleball players were muscle strains, joint sprains, and fractures. Men were three times more likely to sustain muscle strains and joint sprains while women were three times more likely to sustain fractures. As the sport continues to grow, the tracking of injury types and mechanisms of injury will become important in informing injury prevention strategies and improved safety for players.

ChatMatch: Exploring the potential of hybrid vision–language deep learning approach for the intelligent analysis and inference of racket sports

Video understanding technology has become increasingly important in various disciplines, yet current approaches have primarily focused on lower comprehension level of video content, posing challenges for providing comprehensive and professional insights at a higher comprehension level. Video analysis plays a crucial role in athlete training and strategy development in racket sports. This study aims to demonstrate an innovative and higher-level video comprehension framework (ChatMatch), which integrates computer vision technologies with the cutting-edge large language models (LLM) to enable intelligent analysis and inference of racket sports videos. To examine the feasibility of this framework, we deployed a prototype of ChatMatch in the badminton in this study. A vision-based encoder was first proposed to extract the meta-features included the locations, actions, gestures, and action results of players in each frame of racket match videos, followed by a rule-based decoding method to transform the extracted information in both structured knowledge and unstructured knowledge. A set of LLM-based agents included namely task identifier, coach agent, statistician agent, and video manager, was developed through a prompt engineering and driven by an automated mechanism. The automatic collaborative interaction among the agents enabled the provision of a comprehensive response to professional inquiries from users. The validation findings showed that our vision models had excellent performances in meta-feature extraction, achieving a location identification accuracy of 0.991, an action recognition accuracy of 0.902, and a gesture recognition accuracy of 0.950. Additionally, a total of 100 questions were gathered from four proficient badminton players and one coach to evaluate the performance of the LLM-based agents, and the outcomes obtained from ChatMatch exhibited commendable results across general inquiries, statistical queries, and video retrieval tasks. These findings highlight the potential of using this approach that can offer valuable insights for athletes and coaches while significantly improve the efficiency of sports video analysis.

Perception-action coupling in anticipation research: a classification and its application to racket sports.

Anticipation is key to performance in many sports. By definition, anticipation as a perceptual-cognitive process is meant to inform action and help athletes reduce potential motor costs under spatiotemporal pressure. Anticipation research has repeatedly been criticized for neglecting action and raised the need for predominant testing under conditions of perception-action coupling (PAC). To the best of our knowledge, however, there is a lack of explicit criteria to characterize and define PAC conditions. This can lead to blurred terminology and may complicate interpretation and comparability of PAC conditions and results across studies. Here, we make a first proposal for a 7-level classification of PAC conditions with the defining dimensions of stimulus presentation and response mode. We hope this classification may constitute a helpful orientation for study planning and reporting in research on anticipation. Further, we illustrate the potential utilization of the PAC classification as a template for experimental protocol analysis in a review on anticipation in racket sports. Analysis of N = 115 studies reported in N = 91 articles confirms an underrepresentation of representative PAC conditions and reveals little change in PAC approaches over more than 40 years of research in that domain. We discuss potential reasons for these findings, the benefits of adopting the proposed PAC classification and reiterate the call for more action in anticipation research.

Recovery from sport-induced muscle damage in relation to match-intervals in major events.

Muscle damage could affect the next match performance in sports when the time to recover from a previous match is shorter. We examined the interval between matches in nine team sports (e.g., soccer, rugby, field hockey, basketball, volleyball, baseball) and two racket sports (badminton, tennis) in World Cups held in 2022-2023, 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and Gland Slam in 2023. We then performed narrative review using three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar) to get information about muscle damage and recovery in the 11 sports, and discussed whether the intervals in the events would be enough for athletes. We found that the match intervals varied among sports and events ranging from 0 to 17 days. The interval was the shortest for softball (0-2 days) and the longest (5-17 days) for rugby. Regarding muscle damage, changes in muscle function and/or performance measures after a match were not reported for cricket, volleyball and softball, but some information was available for other sports, although the studies did not necessarily use athletes who participated in the major events. It was found that recovery was longer for soccer and rugby than other sports. Importantly, the match-intervals in the events did not appear to accommodate the recovery time required from the previous match in many sports. This could increase a risk of injury and affect players' conditions and health. Changing the match-intervals may be difficult, since it affects the budget of sporting events, but an adequate interval between matches should be considered for each sport from the player's and coach's point of view.

Benefits of Badminton for Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia

Badminton is one of the most popular racket sports played by all age groups worldwide. Anyone can practice and play badminton as a leisure or competitive sport, regardless of age, experience, or skill level. It does not require physical contact among players or expensive equipment. Compared with closed-skill exercises (e.g., running and swimming), open-skill exercises (e.g., badminton and table tennis) have been reported to significantly improve cognitive function and prevent cognitive decline. This mini review aimed to investigate the findings related to badminton intervention for cognitive function, with attention to the modifiable risk factors of dementia in adults. Additionally, we outlined the characteristics of badminton’s physical demands. This narrative review encompassed studies reported from 2013 to 2023 from multiple databases, including PubMed and Google Scholar. Keywords such as “badminton”, “dementia”, “cognitive function”, “physical activity”, and “depression” were used to identify relevant articles. Various studies, including randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case–control studies, were selected to provide a comprehensive overview of badminton intervention. Quantitative data analysis suggests that at a cognitive level, high-intensity badminton can enhance cognitive function with at least 10 min of play once weekly or 20 min of play once weekly on average, whereas moderate-intensity badminton can be effective when played for at least 30 min once weekly or 35 min twice weekly on average. For modifiable risk factors, recreational badminton for about 3 h weekly could effectively manage blood pressure. For body fat percentage and fasting serum glucose levels, recreational badminton for about 10 h weekly exerted positive effects. For depressive states, a moderate-intensity badminton program for 100 min weekly was effective. For lipid profiles associated with dementia occurrence, prolonged badminton intervention for more than 3 months may be beneficial. The characteristics presented here indicate that intervention with regular badminton exercise could effectively improve cognitive function and prevent cognitive decline in older adults.

Quantifying Hitting Load in Racket Sports: A Scoping Review of Key Technologies.

This scoping review aims to identify the primary racket and arm-mounted technologies based on inertial measurement units that enable the quantification of hitting load in racket sports. A comprehensive search of several databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore) and Google search engines was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) extension for scoping reviews guidelines. Included records primarily focused on monitoring hitting load in racket sports using commercialized racket or arm-mounted inertial sensors through noncompetitive and competitive racket-sports players. A total of 484 records were identified, and 19 finally met the inclusion criteria. The largest number of systems found were compatible with tennis (n = 11), followed by badminton (n = 4), table tennis (n = 2), padel (n = 1), and squash (n = 1). Four sensor locations were identified: grip-attached (n = 8), grip-embedded (n = 6), wrist (n = 3), and dampener sensors (n = 2). Among the tennis sensors, only 4 out of the 11 (36.4%) demonstrated excellent reliability (>.85) in monitoring the number of shots hit either during analytic drills or during simulated matches. None of the other racket-sports sensors have undergone successful, reliable validation for hitting-volume quantification. Despite recent advancements in this field, the quantification of hitting volume in racket sports remains a challenge, with only a limited number of tennis devices demonstrating reliable results. Thus, further progress in technology and research is essential to develop comprehensive solutions that adequately address these specific requirements.

Orthopedic Injuries in Beach Tennis Players in Brazil.

Objective To analyze the epidemiological data of orthopedic injuries in beach tennis players. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study, through a questionnaire, with 185 beach tennis players during tournaments and training sessions in two cities. The questionnaire comprised anthropometric data, as well as data on length of time practicing the sport and reported orthopedic injuries. Results We excluded 25 of the 185 interviewees. Of the 160 players studied, 51.9% were male and 48.1%, female. The average age was of 40.4 years, the average height was of 1.73 m, the average weight was of 75.6 kg, and the average body mass index (BMI) was of 25.2 kg/m 2 . Orthopedic injuries were reported by 48.8% of the participants, 30.0% in the lower limbs, 11.3% in the spine, and 25.0% in the upper limbs, with an incidence of 0.82 per one thousand hours of practice. Correlating the incidence of injuries with age, weight, height, and BMI, we only found relevance between the higher average age in patients with lower- and upper-limb injuries. Players who had no previous experience with other racket sports had fewer injuries. Other parameters, such as gender, use of the two-handed backhand , dominant side, participation in competitions, and practice of other sports did not show statistically significant differences. Conclusion Orthopedic injuries were found in almost half of the beach tennis players, primarily in the lower limbs. Age, experience with other racket sports, category, hours of training per week, and length of time playing the sport influenced the incidence of orthopedic injuries.

Presumable role of tennis in the evolution of listesic damage: focus on the technical gesture of the forehand in open stance in amateurs

Although there is an individual style by virtue of which each athlete interprets the basic technical gesture by mediating it according to their own biomechanical characteristics, most tennis instructors suggest executing the forehand in open position or, borrowing the term from the English language, in open stance (shoulders parallel to the net) as there is a potential increase in ball speed. All, however, to the detriment of the integrity of the spinal tract, especially in genetically and anatomically predisposed subjects (Lisi, 2018). Without wanting to go into the merits of professional tennis, the Authors advise - in those who approach racket sport as an amateur without ambitions of excellence - the use of the traditional closed position (shoulders perpendicular to the net) or, at least, a semi-open stance as it is sufficient to limit any harmful consequences at the level of the spine and to maintain one's competitive performance (Lisi, 2018).

Musculoskeletal disorders in padel: from biomechanics to sonography

Padel is a racket sport, combining high-frequency and low-intensity athletic gestures, that has been gaining growing scientific interest in recent years. Musculoskeletal injuries are very common among padel players with an incidence rate of 3 per 1000 h of training and 8 per 1000 matches. To the best of our knowledge, a comprehensive collection describing the most common sonographic findings in padel players with musculoskeletal injuries is lacking in the pertinent literature. In this sense, starting from the biomechanical features of padel-specific gestures we have reported the ultrasonographic patterns of most frequent injuries involving the upper limb, the trunk, and the lower limb. Indeed, comprehensive knowledge of the biomechanical and clinical features of musculoskeletal injuries in padel is paramount to accurately perform a detailed ultrasound examination of the affected anatomical site. So, the present investigation aims to provide a practical guide, simple and ready-to-use in daily practice, to optimize the sonographic assessment of padel players by combining it with the clinical findings and the biomechanical features of athletic gestures.

ViSTec: Video Modeling for Sports Technique Recognition and Tactical Analysis

The immense popularity of racket sports has fueled substantial demand in tactical analysis with broadcast videos. However, existing manual methods require laborious annotation, and recent attempts leveraging video perception models are limited to low-level annotations like ball trajectories, overlooking tactics that necessitate an understanding of stroke techniques. State-of-the-art action segmentation models also struggle with technique recognition due to frequent occlusions and motion-induced blurring in racket sports videos. To address these challenges, We propose ViSTec, a Video-based Sports Technique recognition model inspired by human cognition that synergizes sparse visual data with rich contextual insights. Our approach integrates a graph to explicitly model strategic knowledge in stroke sequences and enhance technique recognition with contextual inductive bias. A two-stage action perception model is jointly trained to align with the contextual knowledge in the graph. Experiments demonstrate that our method outperforms existing models by a significant margin. Case studies with experts from the Chinese national table tennis team validate our model's capacity to automate analysis for technical actions and tactical strategies. More details are available at: https://ViSTec2024.github.io/.