The effect of ball compression and scale court sizes on learning tennis skills of beginner adult tennis players

Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive impact of scaled equipment on the playing performance of young tennis players. Nonetheless, there is a need for further research to explore the impact of scaled equipment on the skill development of beginner adult tennis players. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of ball compression and scale court sizes on the learning of tennis skills of beginner adult tennis players. Methods: Twenty-four beginner players (age 20.9 ± 1.2 years) were randomly divided into a regular ball group (RB, n = 12) and a low-compression ball group (LCB, n = 12) on-court training twice per week for six weeks. The RB played with standard yellow tennis balls, while the LCB used low-compression balls (red, orange, and green) during the intervention. Pre and post-tests included the Tennis-Specific Skills Tes (TSST) and the International Tennis Number test (ITN). Results: The results demonstrated that the LCB showed higher technical characteristics after training (p < .05, ηp 2 between .18 and .36) except for the mobility assessment (p > .05, ηp 2 = .02) and the TSST scores in terms of forehand, backhand, and rally length (p < .05, ηp 2 = .16–.19). Conclusions: This study indicates that the LCB might be more suitable equipment to improve technical skills and hitting performances. Practitioners can use the LCB to design an effective training plan, especially for young and adult beginner tennis players.