Preventing a loss of accuracy of the tennis serve under pressure

PLoS One. 2021 Jul 26;16(7):e0255060. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255060. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Dynamically squeezing the left hand (left hand dynamic handgrip) has been shown to be effective in preventing choking under pressure in right-handers in a variety of sports. The current study assessed the effectiveness of the left hand dynamic handgrip in preventing a loss of accuracy of tennis serves in competitive situations. Twenty right-handed highly skilled junior athletes performed eight tennis serves at a target without pressure (pre-test), followed by eight serves under pressure (post-test). Ten of the participants conducted the left hand dynamic handgrip prior to the post-test, while the other ten performed an equivalent handgrip with their right hand. The serving accuracy of the group performing the handgrip with their right hand decreased significantly from pre- to post-test, while the accuracy of the left hand dynamic handgrip group remained stable. The results indicate the left hand dynamic handgrip to be effective in preventing reduced accuracy of the tennis serve in competition situations as a form of choking under pressure. This technique could easily be integrated into tennis players' serving routines and promote stable match performance in competitions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Athletes / psychology*
  • Athletic Performance*
  • Competitive Behavior
  • Hand Strength
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Tennis

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.14207216

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Department of Sport and Health Sciences and the Chair of Sport Psychology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in the framework of the Open Access Publishing Program.