Exploring the Effects of Ball Speed and Spin in Grand Slam
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EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF BALL SPEED AND SPIN IN GRAND SLAM TENNIS MATCH-PLAY by OLIVIA JAYNE CANT Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science (Honours) Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DECEMBER 2020 ii ABSTRACT This thesis featured modern technology to investigate the effect of ball speed and spin on aspects of on-court hitting performance. Adjusting a shot’s ball flight – be that in the form of speed and/or spin – is a tennis tactic that features in almost every point that is played. Past research has highlighted the importance of generating high shot speeds for on-court performance, While the limited empirical Work that has examined the influence of ball spin has largely relied on indirect measures. Indeed, even With ball-tracking systems such as HaWk-Eye being commonplace at professional-level tournaments, the precision of proprietary spin measures is not Well understood and limits the extent to Which they can be used to derive insight by scientists and practitioners. During rally play, it is rare for players to produce just ball speed or spin for any given shot; more logically generating varying combinations of both speed and spin. The interplay betWeen these characteristics has been largely overlooked in the literature; so much so that the popular concept of stroke heaviness, thought to capture the unique combined effects of speed and spin, has not been explored. Further, research relating shot characteristics (i.e., speed) With point outcomes is too simplistic as it essentially disregards the influence of one shot on the next, including how incoming shot characteristics shape the impact and quality of an opponent’s reply. To address these gaps in the literature, this thesis validated methods to estimate ball spin from the sport’s most common multi-camera tracking technology (HaWk-Eye), finding that a theoretical ball trajectory model applied to HaWk-Eye outputs Was most accurate. This method estimated spin rate With a root mean square error (RMSE) of 221.93 RPM and correctly classified the spin direction of all trials, thus, outperforming Hawk-Eye’s proprietary spin rate (RMSE: 549.56 RPM) and direction (97.60% correctly iii classified) measure. This has Widespread applications given the extent to Which HaWk- Eye is used during professional matches and allowed the thesis’s subsequent studies to probe spatiotemporal data from Grand Slam matches. This involved the novel exploration of player and data-driven vieWs of the attributes and effects of stroke heaviness and then investigation of the effect of incoming shot characteristics (i.e., speed, spin, landing depth) on aspects of on-court hitting performance (i.e., player impact, return stroke quality). Investigating the concept of stroke heaviness highlighted the complexity of this style of shot-making, While further examination of the influence of incoming shot speed and spin on player impact and ball-striking revealed that producing a consistent contact point and return stroke was outside of a player’s full control. To summarise, developing a method to accurately estimate ball spin from ball- tracking data allowed this thesis to extend current knowledge on the influence of incoming shot characteristics on aspects of performance during Grand Slam matches. Accordingly this thesis provides coaches and players With a method to estimate spin in practice and match contexts and highlights how shot characteristics can be varied to influence an opponent’s contact point and the quality of their next shot. iv STUDENT DECLARATION I, Olivia Cant, declare that the PhD thesis entitled ‘Exploring the effects of ball speed and spin in Grand Slam tennis match-play’ is no more than 80,000 Words in length including quotes and exclusive of tables, figures, appendices, bibliography, references and footnotes. This thesis contains no material that has been submitted previously, in Whole or in part, for the aWard of any other academic degree or diploma. Except Where otherwise indicated, this thesis is my own work. I have conducted my research in alignment With the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and Victoria University’s Higher Degree by Research Policy and Procedures. Signature: Date: 30th December 2020 v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS What a journey the last four years have been, one that definitely Would not have been possible without the help and support of many people. Firstly, thank you to my supervisors – Machar, Steph and Damian – Without all of your knowledge and guidance this thesis Would not have been completed. Machar, thank you for allowing me to complete my PhD at Tennis Australia and the numerous opportunities and experiences you have provided me outside of this thesis. I am so grateful to have had you as a supervisor and for the endless ideas, feedback and edits you have provided to make this thesis What it is. Steph, thank you for all of your help throughout this process, especially With the data analysis. I have learnt so much from you and I appreciate all of the time you have taken to explain everything to me and your patience in ansWering my endless questions, Which I am sure Were at times repetitive. Thank you, Damo, for your assistance, especially With everything ethics and Candidature related. I am grateful for your support over the last feW years. I Would also like to acknowledge and thank Rod Cross, Without your expertise and help on the first study in this thesis the others Would not have been possible. I appreciate your Willingness to help, your patience and for your quick responses to the many questions I have had. Lyndon and Molly, I can’t imagine the last four years Without you both and I am so grateful for your friendship and for making this journey such a memorable one. Thank you for the endless laughs, dealing with my stress and for all your help along the way. Thank you to Victoria University and Tennis Australia for providing me the opportunity to conduct this research and to the staff and players at Tennis Australia Who participated in this research and made it possible. I Would also like to thank the many vi staff and PhD students at Tennis Australia Who I have met along the Way for their genuine interest and willingness to help. Finally, a massive thank you to my family for your continual encouragement and support through What Was at times a stressful journey. Thank you for alWays believing in me and supporting me in whatever I do. I wouldn’t be where I am without you. vii LIST OF PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS The following Work has been published (or submitted for publication) in peer revieWed journals and/or presented at relevant scientific and coaching conferences. THESIS PUBLICATIONS CHAPTER 3: Cant, O., Kovalchik, S., Cross, R., Reid, M. (2019). Validation of ball spin estimates in tennis from multi-camera tracking data. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(3), 296-303, https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2019.1697189 CHAPTER 4: Cant, O., Kovalchik, S., Reid, M. (2020). A mixed methods approach to investigating heaviness in professional tennis. Submitted to PLoS ONE. CHAPTER 5: Cant, O., Kovalchik, S., Reid, M. (2020). In the battle for time and space, how early and consistently do professional tennis players intercept the ball. Currently under review in Journal of Sports Sciences. CHAPTER 6: Cant, O., Kovalchik, S., Reid, M. (2020). Modelling the effect of incoming shot trajectories and impact positions on the quality of a player’s ball-striking. Submitted to PLoS ONE. viii CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Cant, O., Kovalchik, S., Cross, R., Reid, M. (2019). Using tracking technology to estimate ball spin in tennis. Presented at the 37th annual conference of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports, Ohio, USA. Cant, O. (2019). “What is stroke heaviness?”. Presented at the 2019 Grand Slam Coaches’ Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Cant, O. (2019). “What is stroke heaviness? And What does it mean for performance and injury”. Presented at the 2018 Tennis Australia High Performance Workshop, Canberra, Australia. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.. ................................................................................................................... ii STUDENT DECLARATION ........................................................................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................... v LIST OF PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS ............................................. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. ix LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... xv LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... xviii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... xx CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THESIS ............................ 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Aims of the thesis .................................................................................................... 4 1.2.1 General aim ...................................................................................................... 4 1.2.2 Specific aims ...................................................................................................