Quantifying Technical-Tactical Diversity in Elite Tennis Players

Tennis players' technical-tactical performance during matches was researched by a team of investigators at Beijing Sport University. Their study aimed to model the diversity in technical-tactical performance among elite tennis players in relation to match outcome and gender. According to the research, data from 236 singles matches from the 2023 Australian Open and US Open were collected, revealing insights into match styles and player performance.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found no statistically significant interaction effect between match outcome and gender on the diversity of five performance indicators, indicating that technical-tactical diversity may not be a reliable indicator for assessing match outcome.
• Match outcome and gender independently had significant main effects on shot type, forehand/backhand groundstroke direction, and first-serve distribution, suggesting that stability of technique usage is more crucial than diversity of techniques used for elite players.
• The research concluded that male players should focus on improving the attacking ability of the backhand to achieve higher rankings, while female players with exceptional serving abilities should prioritize the stability of first serve.

Statistics:

• 236 singles matches from the 2023 Australian Open and US Open were used in the study.
• 5 technical-tactical performance indicators were used to reflect each player's technical-tactical diversity: shot type, forehand/backhand groundstroke direction, first/second serve distribution.
• The linear mixed model (LMM) was used to examine the effects of match outcome and gender on each performance category.
• 0.05 was the threshold for statistical significance in the study.
• The study found that match outcome and gender independently had significant main effects on shot type, forehand/backhand groundstroke direction, and first-serve distribution.

Sources:

• Quantifying the technical-tactical diversity of elite tennis players during match-play. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2025;7:1634573.
• NewsRx. Research from Beijing Sport University Yields New Findings on Sports (Quantifying the technical-tactical diversity of elite tennis players during match-play). Entertainment Newsweekly. October 24, 2025; p 47.