THE EFFECTS OF VARYING TENNIS RACKET DIMENSIONS ON STROKE PERFORMANCE DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy In the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By HOWARD G. KNUTTGEN, B.S., M. S. * * * « * The Ohio State University 1959 Approved by: Department of Physloel Education ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my appreciation to my committee, Dr. Delbert Oberteuffer, Dr* Lewis A. Hess, end Dr* Donald K* Mathews, for their guidance and help* I also wish to thank Dr* Elena Sllepcsvlch of the Women's Divi­ sion of Physical Education, Dr* John Hendrix of the Men's Division of Physical Education, and Dr* Ransom Whitney of the Statistics Laboratory for their advice and their contributions to the successful outcome of the study* . This Investigation would not have been possible without the cooperation of A* 0* Spalding and Brothers, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, and Victor Sports, Inc*, of Chicago, Illinois* Spalding contributed the nine rack­ ets that were employed in the study, six of which were specially constructed* Victor donated all of the stringing material used in the study* Finally, sincere appreciation must be extended to the eighteen test subjects who voluntarily donated their time end efforts so the necessary data could be obtained* 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS f CHAPTER PACE I. INTRODUCTION ................................. 1 Statement of the problem...................4 Limitations of the study • • • .............4 II• SURVEY OF RELATED LITERATURE................... 7 Literature related to the history of racket development ................ 7 Literature related to the investigation of methods and techniques of the performance of tennis skills . • • 16 III* PROCEDURE .....................................24 Testing the variables of racket length and w e i g h t .......................... 24 Selection of rackets used in testing the effects of varying length and w e i g h t .............................. 2V Testing the variables of stringing ma­ terial and tension ••*•«•«•• 50 Tests employed In the st u d y ............... 31 Accuracy T e s t ........................31 Velocity Test ........................ 33 Skill T e s t .......................... 37 The testing sequence ..................... 37 Personal data .......................... 38 Treatment of the d a t a .................... 44 IV. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA .......................... 48 Tables relating to the analysis of the d a t a ................................ 48 Variations due to racket length and weight In the advanced player group • 49 Variations due to racket length and racket weight In the beginning player group ....................... 54 List of significant variables and in­ teractions .......................... 57 ill iv CHAPTER PACE Variations due to stringing material and stringing tension ............... 59 The relationship among personal mea­ surements and statistically sig­ nificant Interactions ............... 63 V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND REC(EMENDATIONS . 66 Conclusions and their imnlications • . 68 Recommendations for further study .... 72 ATPENDIX A. Test Scores ...............................73 B. Personal Data ........................ 78 BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................... 80 LIST OP TABLES TABLE PAGE 1# Rackets Employed In the Tests for Factors of Length and W e i g h t ........................ 29 2* Testing Program for Factors of Racket Length and Racket '"eight........................ 39 3* Effects of Length and Weieht on Accuracy Test Scores of Advanced Group ........... •••80 4m Effects of Length and Weight on Skill Test Scores of Advanced Group ................. 52 5* Effects of Length and Weight on Velocity Test Scores of Advanced G r o u p .................. 53 6m Effects of Length and Weight on Accuracy Test Scores of Beginning Group ............... 56 7* Effects of Length and Weight on Skill Test Scores of Beginning Group ............... 56 8. Effects of Length and Weight on Velocity Test Scores of Beginning Group ............... 68 9. Effects of Stringing Materials and Tensions on Accuracy Test Scores .................. 60 10« Effects of Stringing Materials and Tensions on Skill Test S c o r e s ...................... 61 11* Effects of Stringing Materials and Tensions on Velocity Test S c o r e s .................. 62 12* Correlation Coefficients for Significant In­ teractions and Personal Data ••••••• 64 13* Accuracy Test Scores ........... * 7 4 14* Skill Test Scores .................... ••••76 15* Velocity Test Scores .......................... 76 Vi TABLg FflCHS 16* Test Scores with Stringing Materiel and Stringing Tension Varied ................ 77 17• Personal Data ................................... 79 LIST OP DIAGRAMS DIAGRAM PAGE !• Testing Arrangement for the Accuracy Test • • • 34 2* Testing Arrangement for the Skill Test • • • • 33 Til CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Lawn tennis, by reason of lta International pop­ ularity, ean truly take its plaee among the world's most important recreational and athletle activities. It is played in virtually every country in the world and, like some other sport activities, has opened its list of participants in the last fifty years to include people from every socio-economic level as well as just about every age level. Because of the extensive participation in tennis among athletes of different nations, the rules of Pl»y are International in nature. The rules of tennis, as with those of any sport activity, cover the various aspects of play — the dimensions of the court, the method of initiating play, the method of scoring, the restrictions placed upon the various articles of equip­ ment, etc. However, upon examining the rules of the International Lawn Tennis Federation, It is surprising to find that, with the exception of the use of the term "racket'1 when discussing the player's contact with the ball, there is no rule that specifically de­ scribes this piece of equipment. The rules are very 2 specific in setting up the dimensions of the court and net and of describing what constitutes a legal ball, but there is no mention of any limitations on the "racket" nor, aotually, any description of whst con­ stitutes a "racket." The history of the present-day game of lawn ten­ nis trsces back to such games as le .1eus de longue paume. royal tennis, rackets, and fives. All were games involving the hitting of a ball. Le jeus de longue paume is a game that is mentioned aa having been played in France around the time of the Crusades (eleventh and twelfth centuries, A. D.). It was orig­ inally a game in which the ball was hit with the bare hand. Many tennla-type games were originally played with the bare hand until a heavy glove was adopted for the sake of protection. The next development was the fastening of eords and tendons around the hand in such a fashion that the player could give additional velo­ city to the ball. Later, panels or boards were used, first without and then with handles. The Implements with handles that were used for court tennis or royal tennis were called battolral ^Maloolm 0. Whitman, Tennis Origins and Myster­ ies. p. 37. Since the development of the battoir, the else and shape of the implements used in striking the ball have undergone many changes. Despite the great varle ty of battolrs, or rackets, that have been used down through the ages, present-day players employ rackets * of nearly Identical dimensions. This situation has come about in spite of an absence of scientific lnves tigstion concerning the relationships of the various racket dimensions to the effectiveness of the racket to the player. Hendrix has made the following comments concern­ ing this situation: An absence of official regulation with regard to size, weight or shape Introduces an Interesting facet in the evolution of tennis rackets. Almost from the origin of lawn tennis, rackets have been twenty-seven Inches long and, since the turn of the cen­ tury, practically all have been nine inches wide* Manufacturers do not deviate from these dimensions (except in the junior rack­ ets for children) despite their contention that such a size does not necessarily pro­ vide an optimum swing, balance, or weight. It would, however, appear more than coinci­ dental that the sum of the length and width of the rackets totaling thirty-six Inches is the height of the net at the center. In fact, players routinely check the net for regulation height by using the length and width as a gauge. This fact causes much speculation as to whether no more logical basis than ease of measuring the net has de­ termined the dimensions of the tennis racket. Considerable research falls to Illuminate this point, but, none the less, despite the absence of any limitations, tennis rackets 4 rigidly conform to a pattern twenty-seven Inches long and nine lnohes wide.2 If the absence of reports of scientific Investi­ gation concerning the design of tennis rackets Is any indication, It appears that we can take for granted that the present design Is a product of "trial and er­ ror." This would refer to the process in which vrhat- ever designs worked well were given further use* The Imagination of sporting equipment designers and manu­ facturers probably played an important part, as well as the personal preferences of the players. The lack of any scientific data raises the ques­ tion: Is the present design of tennis racket the most effective for the tennis player's use? In an effort to determine an answer to this question, the present Investigation was undertaken. Statement of