The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the following interventions: a) resistance training, b) specific service practice and c) general tennis practice without specific service practice, on tennis service velocity. Twenty-nine eight to twelve year-old boys volunteered to participate in an eight-week study, and formed three groups: The Strength Training group, which performed resistance training and general tennis practice without specific service practice; the Tennis Service Practice group, which performed specific service practice plus general tennis practice; and the Control group, which performed only general tennis practice. Results showed that the Strength Training group improved in both strength and tennis service velocity (p<0.05) while the other two groups did not (p>0.05), although no group differed from any of the others either at the pre- or post-test in tennis service velocity (p>0.05). The results showed that resistance training directly affects tennis service velocity, even during the prepubertal period, and indicate that the effect of service velocity during this age period needs further examination.
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