Plyometric Training in Tennis: A Narrative Review on Power, Agility, and Change of Direction Performance

This narrative review explores how plyometric training (PT) contributes to improving key performance components in tennis, including sprint speed, agility, muscular power, and change of direction (CoD) ability. A structured literature search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to December 2023, focusing on studies involving tennis and other racquet sport athletes. Overall, the reviewed evidence indicates that PT can enhance sprint performance by approximately 5-7%, vertical jump height by 4-8%, and change of direction (CoD) ability, with moderate effect sizes (0.40-0.60, p < 0.05). These improvements are primarily linked to better neuromuscular coordination and more efficient use of the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). PT appears particularly valuable for adolescent players, as it requires minimal equipment, is accessible in different training settings, and supports both performance enhancement and injury prevention. Coaches and conditioning professionals are encouraged to integrate PT two to three times per week, allowing sufficient recovery between sessions to maximize performance gains and limit fatigue.