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Journals / Turkish Journal of Kinesiology / 2026 / Volume: 12 Issue: 2

Explosive lower-limb strength predicts serve performance in competitive junior tennis players

Halit Şar(Faculty of Sports Sciences, Sinop University, Sinop, Türkiye)0000-0001-9866-5403
Büşra Yücelsoy(Department of the Physical Education and Sports, Institute of Health Sciences, Ordu University, Ordu, Türkiye)0009-0005-0607-4726
Şeyma Tuba Acar(Department of the Physical Education and Sports, Institute of Health Sciences, Ordu University, Ordu, Türkiye)0009-0007-2536-1143
Cengiz Ölmez(Faculty of Sports Sciences, Ordu University, Ordu, Türkiye)0000-0001-8584-6272
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-05-01
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These findings indicate that serve velocity is closely associated with lower-extremity force production characteristics and highlight the importance of high-velocity knee flexor torque in explaining performance differences in elite junior tennis players.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Serve velocity is a key performance determinant in tennis and relies on effective kinetic-kinematic energy transfer initiated by the lower limbs.
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Key Findings & Data:Serve velocity was measured using a radar gun, while lower-limb neuromuscular performance was assessed via isokinetic knee and hip flexion–extension torque testing at angular velocities of 60°, 180°, and 240°·s⁻¹.
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Conclusion & Impact:These findings indicate that serve velocity is closely associated with lower-extremity force production characteristics and highlight the importance of high-velocity knee flexor torque in explaining performance differences in elite junior tennis players.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Countermovement jump · isokinetic strength · lower-limb strength

Abstract

Serve velocity is a key performance determinant in tennis and relies on effective kinetic-kinematic energy transfer initiated by the lower limbs. While previous research has predominantly emphasized upper-extremity contributions, the neuromuscular characteristics of the lower limbs, particularly during the loading phase of the serve, remain insufficiently examined. Seventeen elite junior male tennis players participated in this study. Serve velocity was measured using a radar gun, while lower-limb neuromuscular performance was assessed via isokinetic knee and hip flexion–extension torque testing at angular velocities of 60°, 180°, and 240°·s⁻¹. Countermovement jump (CMJ) height was evaluated as a functional indicator of rapid force production capacity. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of serve performance. Serve velocity was significantly associated with isokinetic torque outputs of the knee and hip joints across multiple angular velocities, as well as with CMJ height (p < 0.05). Greater knee flexion-extension and hip flexion-extension torque capacities were consistently related to higher serve velocities, and CMJ performance demonstrated a strong positive association with serve velocity. In the regression model, knee flexion peak torque of the dominant limb at 240°·s⁻¹ emerged as the only significant predictor of serve velocity, explaining a substantial proportion of its variance (R² = 0.797, p < 0.001). These findings indicate that serve velocity is closely associated with lower-extremity force production characteristics and highlight the importance of high-velocity knee flexor torque in explaining performance differences in elite junior tennis players.

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Cite This Article

Şar, H., Yücelsoy, B., Acar, Ş. T., Ölmez, C. (2026). Explosive lower-limb strength predicts serve performance in competitive junior tennis players. Turkish Journal of Kinesiology, Volume: 12 Issue: 2. https://doi.org/10.31459/turkjkin.1859720

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