The Effect of Virtual Reality Training on Basic Hitting Performance in Tennis

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of virtual reality (VR) training on basic stroke performance in tennis. In the fall semester of the 2023-2024 academic year at Atatürk University, 20 students without prior tennis experience participated. They were divided into two equal groups: the control group, which received only traditional training, and the experimental group, which received a combination of VR and traditional training. Each group included five male and five female students, all participating in an 8-week training program. A pre-test–post-test control group experimental design was used. Data were collected through a VR application and a performance test administered before and after training. Descriptive statistics and normality tests were conducted, with paired t-tests for intra-group comparisons and ANCOVA for inter-group comparisons, using SPSS 25. Results showed significant improvements in stroke performance in both groups. However, analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in forehand stroke performance between groups. In contrast, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvement in backhand performance compared to the control group. Findings suggest that both VR-based and traditional methods can effectively enhance basic stroke performance in tennis. Specifically, VR training proved particularly effective for improving backhand strokes, while no additional benefit was observed for forehand strokes compared to traditional training.