Abstract

In contemporary world tennis, there is a clear tendency towards a physically demanding game in which the most important motor preconditions are speed (action and reaction), strength (particularly start and explosive), stamina, and specific coordination skills. This study is based on retrospective theory. The research objective was longitudinal monitoring of the level of somatic and motor preconditions in top Czech tennis players (the male tennis player Tomas Berdych, TB, and the female tennis player Petra Kvitova, PK). On June 1, 2014, Tomas Berdych was the number 1 tennis player in the Czech Republic and number 6 in the world ATP Ranking (4330 points), having achieved his best ranking in 2013 (number 5 in the world); on June 1, 2014 Petra Kvitova was also number 1 in the Czech Republic and number 6 in the world WTA Ranking (4600 points), having achieved her best ranking in 2011 (number 2 in the world). Both players were assessed longitudinally using the TENDIAG1 test battery, containing three somatic and six motor items. The results of both tested athletes clearly show that the total point score in the test battery was above the average for tennis players in general throughout the whole monitored period. The evaluation of differences between the sexes showed a significantly higher level in most items of the test battery in the male player TB with the exception of torso flexibility and the reaction speed of arms and legs. The female player PK showed a higher level in the shoulder mobility index. The results provide interesting insights and suggestions for training practice.