Relationship Between Tennis Serve Velocity, Grip Strength, And Vertical Jump In Female Tennis Players

The serve has become one of the most crucial shots in modern tennis. It has been suggested that serve movements may vary based on the player’s age and level of performance. However, there is no consensus on which factors influence serve velocity (SV), particularly among female tennis players. PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between tennis serve velocity, grip strength, and vertical jump in junior and college female tennis players. METHODS: Thirty-one (31) college and junior female players (age = 18.1 ± 2.9 y; weight = 60.7 ± 9.8 kg; height = 159.6 ± 6.6 cm) were recruited. Serve velocity (SV) was determined as the highest ball speed recorded with a radar gun after performing 12 serves, on both the deuce and advantage side. Dominant and non-dominant isometric hand grip strength (GS) was measured with a digital hand dynamometer. Countermovement vertical jump free (CMJF) was determined using the Vertec jump stand while jumping with and without the tennis racket. Pearson correlations were used to evaluate associations between variables. RESULTS: SV (Mean ± SD) was 85.2 ± 9.5 mph with 82.5 ± 9.5 and 84.4 ± 9.6 mph on the deuce and advantage side, respectively. A significant direct association was observed between SV and CMJF height (r = 0.39; P = 0.03) and relative power (W/kg) (r = 0.42; P = 0.02) without racket; and between SV and CMJF height (r = 0.36; P = 0.04) and W/kg (r = 0.39; P = 0.03) with racket. Significant direct correlations were found between SV and GS for the dominant (r = 0.38, P = 0.04) and non-dominant (r = 0.59, P = 0.001) hand. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in junior and college women tennis players, serve velocity is influenced by vertical jump performance and grip strength. These factors should be considered when training to improve serve velocity.