Limpens Vera, Buszard Tim, Shoemaker Emma, Savelsbergh Geert J P, Reid Machar
a Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
b Victoria University.
Res Q Exerc Sport. 2018 Mar;89(1):1-10. doi: 10.1080/02701367.2017.1413230. Epub 2018 Jan 19.
The net height in tennis (0.91 m) is approximately 50% of a professional tennis player's height. Children are also expected to play with this net height, even though it is approximately 70% of the average 10-year-old's height. This study examined the immediate effect of lowering net height on the performance characteristics of skilled junior tennis players aged 10 years and younger.
Sixteen players were matched in 8 pairs of even tennis ability and same sex. Each pair played 25-min singles matches in 4 conditions that varied in net height (0.91 m, 0.78 m, 0.65 m, and 0.52 m). Match-play characteristics were analyzed via video replay.
Results showed that lowering the net height to 0.65 m and 0.52 m led to players adopting a more attacking style of play, as evidenced by a significant increase in the number of winners without a commensurate increase in errors and more shots struck inside the baseline. Lower nets also led to a greater percentage of successful first serves. The lowest net (0.52 m), however, reduced rally length significantly and therefore decreased hitting opportunities.
These results offer support for equipment scaling to enhance match-play performance for skilled junior tennis players. We propose that current net height recommendations for junior tennis should be revised.
网球运动中网的高度（0.91米）约为职业网球运动员身高的50%。尽管这一高度约为10岁儿童平均身高的70%，但儿童也需在这个网高条件下进行比赛。本研究考察了降低网高对10岁及以下熟练的青少年网球运动员比赛表现特征的即时影响。
16名运动员按网球能力相当且性别相同的原则配对成8组。每组在4种不同网高条件（0.91米、0.78米、0.65米和0.52米）下进行25分钟的单打比赛。通过视频回放分析比赛特征。
结果表明，将网高降至0.65米和0.52米会使运动员采用更具攻击性的打法，表现为得分显著增加且失误没有相应增加，同时底线内击球次数增多。较低的网高还使一发成功率更高。然而，最低的网高（0.52米）显著缩短了相持球的长度，从而减少了击球机会。
这些结果为调整器材规格以提高熟练的青少年网球运动员比赛表现提供了支持。我们建议应修订目前针对青少年网球的网高建议。
