Science and Racket Sports II

Racket sports pose the challenge of combining physical agility, ball, racket and eye coordination, tactical analysis and physical and psychological endurance. Because of these combinations they are challenging to both sports scientists and to the coach. There have been major thrusts in optimizing the preparation of individuals and teams for competition, improving design of equipment and facilities, quantitative analysis of performance and tactics and the recognition and development of young players. Conventional sport science criteria including biomechanics, ergonomics, physiology, psychology and notational analysis. are recognized as being important in these developments but meaningless unless appreciated and applied by the practitioners in their respective sports.