Coaching Perspectives of Tennis Recovery

Fatigue is a natural response to training and stress and as such it is an essential part of the human adaptive process. Despite the limited details of what constitutes fatigue, the negative impact of fatigue on a player’s ability to train and perform optimally and consistently, is evident to both player and coach. There is increased awareness that recovering from fatigue is essential for players at all levels. Recovery relates to the recognition of fatigue as it is expressed by the player, and then how this fatigue is managed in both training and performance contexts. The way that fatigue is expressed is determined by the type of training undertaken, the performance environment, and any lifestyle issues affecting the player. The selection of appropriate recovery strategies to address specific types of fatigue will depend on the recovery knowledge of player and coach, and on the availability and cost of the strategies selected. There are many recovery modalities available but few have been subjected to rigorous scientific examination. Coaches and players often depend on anecdotal information from fellow coaches and athletes for specific details on recovery techniques and their use. This chapter has two major aims. The first is to provide coaches and players with a systematic approach to monitoring adaptation to fatigue and stress. The second is to review current scientific information about commonly used recovery modalities and strategies with examples of how these can be integrated into training and performance for tennis