INTRODUCTION: Technical skills have been demonstrated crucial for tennis performance. Ball speed and accuracy are usually considered the two most important components of technique in tennis (Landlinger et al., 2012). These components are not only crucial for current tennis performance, but also vital for future tennis success in youth tennis players. Tactical skills and the perceptions thereof have been suggested to influence these skills, and self-regulatory skills may be beneficial for technical skills in various tactical situations (Kolman et al.,2019; Kolman et al., submitted). However, the relationship between technical skills in a tennis-specific situation and perceived tactical skills has not been investigated yet, and also the association with self-regulatory skills is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between technical skills in various tactical situations, perceived tactical skills and self-regulatory skills among 21 youth elite tennis players (13 males, 8 females; age range 12-18 years). METHODS: Using the Dutch Technical-Tactical Tennis Test (D4T), the Perceived Tactical Skills Scale in Tennis (PTSST) and the Self-Regulated Learning for Sport Practice (SRL-SP), this study aims to determine (i) whether there is a correlation between technical skills (i.e. ball speed, accuracy, percentage errors and spin rate) and perceived tactical skills, (ii) whether there is a correlation between technical skills in various tactical situations (offensive, defensive and neutral) and game situations (fixed and variable) and any of the four subscales of the PTSST (Anticipation and positioning, Game intelligence and adaptability, Decision-making and Recognizing game situations) (iii) which of the five domains of self-regulatory skills (Planning, Checking, Evaluating/Reflecting, Self-Efficacy for Challenges and Effort) is correlated with technical skills or perceived tactical skills and (iiii) whether technical skills, perceived tactical skills and self-regulatory skills differ according to gender or age category. RESULTS: Preliminary results show a negative relationship between percentage errors and perceived tactical skills, decision-making and recognizing game situations. There is a positive relationship between perceived skills in recognizing game situations and accuracy in variable game situations. Preliminary results also show a positive relationship between perceived tactical skills and self-regulatory skills and the underlying subscale planning. CONCLUSION: These preliminary findings provide players, coaches and other professionals with insight into the relationship between technical skills, perceived tactical skills and self-regulatory skills. This can have important implications for talent development and optimizing performance in youth tennis players.
© Copyright 2022 27th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS), Sevilla, 30. Aug - 2. Sep 2022. Veröffentlicht von Faculty of Sport Science - Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.