Relationship between the Results of Selected Motor Tests and Competitive Successfulness in Tennis for Different Age Categories

The study examined the relationship between selected motor tests and competitive successfulness in tennis for different age categories. The sample was comprised of 615 tennis players of both genders in the age categories of under-14 and under-18 years. Several motor abilities were investigated: the neuromuscular power of the arms, the elastic power of the legs, the dynamic muscular strength endurance of the trunk, acceleration, agility, hand-eye coordination, dynamic balance and running endurance. Competitive successfulness of players of both genders was defined by the position on the national ranking list and represented a criterion variable. The results of regression analysis showed in all categories a moderate, statistically significant correlation between the system of predictor variables and the criterion variable. A group of eight motor variables described 34% of the criterion variable variance in the category of 12to 14-year old girls and 54% in the same age category of boys, whereas for the 15to 18year-old players the predictor variables described 52% of the criterion variable variance in girls and 34% in boys. The running endurance test in girls and the hand-eye coordination test in boys partially described competitive successfulness in the category of 12to 14-year-olds. In the category of 15to 18-year-olds, the criterion variance was partially described by the dynamic muscular strength endurance of the trunk in girls and hand-eye coordination and acceleration in boys. The results of the study underline the importance of several motor abilities for competitive successfulness in particular age categories of young tennis players.