Comparison of The Effects of Clay and Hard Surface Court Tennis Training on Leg Strength

Abstract

Tennis is a high-paced sport that demands considerable physical capabilities, including muscular strength, which plays a vital role in movement efficiency and injury prevention. Court surface type hard or clay may influence physical performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of playing on hard and clay courts on the isokinetic strength of the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups in novice male tennis players. Twelve novice male tennis players participated in this crossover-designed study (mean age: 22.67 ± 1.371 years; height: 179.42 ± 6.360 cm; body weight: 72.92 ± 5.807 kg; body mass index: 22.66 ± 1.696 kg/m²). Each participant completed a 1-hour standardized tennis training session on both hard and clay courts, with a 3-day interval between sessions. The training consisted of five structured drills emphasizing stroke execution and on-court movement. Prior to testing, all participants underwent three familiarization trials with the test procedure. Fifteen minutes after each session, isokinetic strength testing of the dominant leg was performed using a Cybex NORM® isokinetic dynamometer, measuring concentric and eccentric peak torque values (Nm) of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles at an angular velocity of 60°/s. Statistical comparison between the two surfaces was conducted using a paired samples t-test, with significance set at p < 0.05. No statistically significant differences were found between hard and clay courts in the concentric and eccentric strength values of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles (p > 0.05). The findings suggest that court surface type does not significantly affect isokinetic lower limb strength in novice male tennis players. Short-term training (acute effect) on different surfaces may not lead to measurable differences in muscular strength; however, further research is needed to explore long-term adaptations.

Keywords

• Isokinetic strength
• Clay court
• Hard court

Toprak ve Sert Zemin Tenis Kort Antrenmanlarının Bacak Kuvvetine Etkisinin Karşılaştırılması

Öz

Tenis, hareket verimliliği ve sakatlanmaların önlenmesinde önemli rol oynayan kas kuvveti de dâhil olmak üzere, önemli fiziksel yeterlilikler gerektiren yüksek tempolu bir spordur. Kort yüzey tipi – sert veya toprak – fiziksel performansı etkileyebilir. Bu çalışma, sert ve toprak kortlarda oynamanın, başlangıç düzeyindeki erkek tenisçilerin kuadriseps ve hamstring kas gruplarının izokinetik kuvveti üzerindeki etkilerini incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Bu çapraz tasarımlı çalışmaya on iki başlangıç düzeyinde erkek tenis oyuncusu katılmıştır (yaş ortalaması: 22,67 ± 1,371 yıl; boy: 179,42 ± 6,360 cm; vücut ağırlığı: 72,92 ± 5,807 kg; vücut kitle indeksi: 22,66 ± 1,696 kg/m²). Her katılımcı, seanslar arasında 3 günlük ara ile hem sert hem de toprak kortlarda 1 saatlik standart tenis antrenman seansını tamamladı. Antrenman, vuruş tekniği ve kort içi hareketi vurgulayan beş yapılandırılmış drilden oluşmuştur. Test öncesinde, tüm katılımcılar test prosedürüne üç kez alıştırma denemesi yaptı. Her seanstan on beş dakika sonra, baskın bacakta izokinetik kuvvet testi, kuadriseps ve hamstring kaslarının konsantrik ve eksantrik tepe tork değerlerini (Nm) 60°/s açısal hızda ölçen bir Cybex NORM® izokinetik dinamometre kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. İki kort yüzeyi arasındaki istatistiksel karşılaştırma, eşleştirilmiş örneklem t-testi ile yapılmış ve anlamlılık düzeyi p< 0.05 olarak belirlenmiştir. Sert ve toprak kortlar arasında kuadriseps ve hamstring kaslarının konsantrik ve eksantrik kuvvet değerlerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark bulunamamıştır (p>0.05). Bulgular, kort yüzey tipinin acemi erkek tenisçilerde izokinetik alt ekstremite kuvvetini önemli ölçüde etkilemediğini göstermektedir. Farklı yüzeylerde yapılan kısa akut antrenman sonuçları kas kuvvetinde ölçülebilir farklılıklara yol açmayabilir; ancak uzun vadeli adaptasyonları araştırılması için daha fazla araştırmaya ihtiyaç vardır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• İzokinetik kuvvet
• Toprak kort
• Sert kort

Kaynakça

1. Alexander, S., Naaz, N., & Fernandes, S. (2022). The incidence of injuries across various tennis surfaces: A systematic review. ITF Coaching & Sport Science Review, 30(88), 39-44. https://doi.org/10.52383/itfcoaching.v30i88.353
2. Brody, H. (1987). Tennis science for tennis players. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, PA.
3. Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power analysis for the behavioral sciences. 2nd ed. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
4. Doğan, İ., Revan, S., & Arıkan, Ş. (2021). Analysis of tennis competitions on different court surfaces. Turkish Journal of Sport and Exercise, 23(1), 60-66. DOI: 10.15314/tsed.895726
5. Elliott, B., Marshall, R. N., & Noffal, G. (1995). Contributions of upper limb segment rotations during the power serve in tennis. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 11(4), 33-442. https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.11.4.433
6. Fernandez-Fernandez, J., Nakamura, F. Y., Boullosa, D., Santos-Rosa, F. J., Herrero-Molleda, A., Granacher, U., & Sanz-Rivas, D. (2023). The effects of neuromuscular training on sand versus hard surfaces on physical fitness in young male tennis players. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 19(1), 71-79. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2023-0162
7. Güzel, E., & Can, İ. (2022). The investigation of the relationship among strength, balance and anaerobic power of male tennis players in the youth and junior catagories. CBU Journal of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 17(2), 310-326. https://doi.org/10.33459/cbubesbd.1134240
8. Hoppe, M. W., Baumgart, C., Bornefeld, J., Sperlich, B., Freiwald, J., & Holmberg, H. C. (2014). Running activity profile of adolescent tennis players during match play. Pediatric Exercise Science, 26(3), 281-290. https://doi.org/10.1123/pes.2013-0195

9. Johnson, C. D., & McHugh, M. P. (2006). Performance demands of professional male tennis players. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 40, 696–699. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2005.021253
10. Kaya, M., Soyal, M., & Karakuş, M. (2018). The effect of the leg and back strength of the serve and tennis players to the serve throwing speed and agility. Physical Education of Students, 22(5), 237-242. https://doi.org/10.15561/20755279.2018.0502
11. Kilit, B., Arslan, E., & Soylu, Y. (2024). The effect of court surfaces on physiological responses and game activities of recreational senior tennis players. Pensar en Movimiento: Revista de Ciencias del Ejercicio y la Salud, 22(2), e58406-e58406. https://doi.org/10.15517/pensarmov.v22i2.58406
12. Kovacs, M.S. (2006). Applied physiology of tennis performance. British journal of Sports Medicine, 40(5), 381-386. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2005.023309
13. Kuganesan, K. (2015). Analysis of the effect of the different types of tennis court training on physical fitness. Research Journal of Physical Education Sciences, 3(10), 1-5.
14. Lisi, R., Colombo, F., Rodano, R., & Frigo, C. A. (2025). Is clay court the best tennis surface? A narrative review. International Journal of Racket Sports Science, 7(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.30827/ijrss.33666
15. Magris, R., Nardello, F., Bombieri, F., Monte, A., & Zamparo, P. (2024). Characterization of the vastus lateralis torque-length, and knee extensors torque-velocity and power-velocity relationships in people with Parkinson’s disease. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6, 1380864. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2024.1380864
16. Martin, C., Thevenet, D., Zouhal, H., Mornet, Y., Delès, R., Crestel, T., ... & Prioux, J. (2011). Effects of playing surface (hard and clay courts) on heart rate and blood lactate during tennis matches played by high-level players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 25(1), 163-170. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fb459b
17. Parpa, K., Michaelides, M., Petrov, D., Kyrillou, C., & Paludo, A. C. (2022). Relationship between physical performance, anthropometric measurements and stroke velocity in youth tennis players. Sports, 11(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11010007
18. Parpa, K., & Michaelides, M. (2024). Upper and Lower Body Strength Asymmetries and Shoulder Rotation Strength Ratio in Youth Tennis Players Using Isokinetic Testing. Journal of Sports Science, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.17265/2332-7839/2024.01.001
19. Pavailler, S., & Horvais, N. (2015). Trunk and lower limbs muscular activity during tennis-specific movements: Effect of sliding on hard and clay court. Footwear Science, 7(sup1), 68-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2015.1038612
20. Pereira, L. A., Freitas, V., Moura, F. A., Aoki, M. S., Loturco, I., & Nakamura, F. Y. (2016). The activity profile of young tennis athletes playing on clay and hard courts: preliminary data. Journal of Human Kinetics, 50, 211. Doi: 10.1515/hukin-2015-0158
21. Ponzano, M., & Gollin, M. (2017). Effects of hard courts and clay courts on sprinting performance after a wheelchair tennis match: an acute study. Medicina Dello Sport, 70(4), 430-438. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0025-7826.17.03088-5
22. Reid, M. M., Duffield, R., Minett, G. M., Sibte, N., Murphy, A. P., & Baker, J. (2013). Physiological, perceptual, and technical responses to on-court tennis training on hard and clay courts. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 27(6), 1487-1495. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31826caedf
23. Ren, Y., Zhou, S., Cheng, G., Tang, Y., Wang, G., & Lu, A. (2025). Lower-extremity muscle strength symmetry assessment through ısokinetic dynamometry. Life, 15(2), 318. https://doi.org/10.3390/life15020318
24. Tatlici, A., Özcan, S., Atceken, D. H., Yilmaz, S., Lokluoglu, B., & Sacikara, A. (2024). Effects of increasing isokinetic angular velocity on concentric and eccentric strength. Journal of Men's Health, 20(8), 126-130. https://doi.org/10.22514/jomh.2024.138
25. Wu, S. K., Gross, M. T., Prentice, W. E., & Yu, B. (2001). Comparison of ball-and-racquet impact force between two tennis backhand stroke techniques. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 31(5), 247-254. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2001.31.5.247
26. Van Cingel, E., Kleinrensink, G., Rooijens, P., Uitterlinden, E., Aufdemkampe, G., & Stoeckart, R. (2001). Learning effect in isokinetic testing of ankle invertors and evertors. Isokinetics and Exercise Science, 9, 171–177. https://doi.org/10.3233/IES-2001-0081