Another study showed a total ground stroke accuracy of 11 8% at t

Another study showed a total ground stroke accuracy of 11.8% at the baseline [6]. These indicated that the Loughborough Tennis Skill Test was a suitable measurement for the skills in the present study. To hit the areas designated for ‘accuracy’ was a difficult task. The average service accuracy before the simulated match in both trials combined was 18.5% (3.7 out of 20), while the average selleck chemical ground stroke accuracy was 14.5% (5.8 out of 40). It is possible that should the metabolic and/or neural functions be improved, our participants

still could not show the improvements in these difficult tasks. Therefore, the improvement may be more apparent in the relatively easier skills such as the consistency. The absolute intensity of the simulated match used in this study was lower than that in Grand Slam tournaments [2]. This is understandable because our participants were at the national level. Our participants LCZ696 performed 1.67 shots. sec-1, compared to approximately 0.75 shots. sec-1 in men’s singles in Grand Slams. Each

point in our simulated match lasted 10 sec, compared to 4-8 sec in Grand Slams. However, the relative intensity was high. The average heart rate of our participants during the simulated match was approximately 85% of their age-predicted maximal heart rate, similar to 86.2% reported in American Division I collegiate men’s singles [29]. It is difficult to design a simulated match that is representative of most real matches as athletes are different in their playing styles, such as baseline or serve and volley. Therefore, the simulated match was designed to include the 3 major types of play, volley, forehand strokes

and backhand strokes. There were several limitations of this study. The content of simulated match was not completely consistent with real tennis matches. The duration of the simulated match was a little shorter than most of the real ones. The psychological strain in real matches next was also absent in the simulated match. Secondly, the participants were in free living style between the 2 trials. Although they were asked to maintain their physical activity and dietary patterns before each trial, we could not rule out the possibility that they may not fully comply with the instructions. Thirdly, the participants’ motivation to perform with their best effort, including hitting the ball with the maximal power, may also affect the results. Conclusions In conclusion, NaHCO3 supplementation could prevent the decline in skilled tennis performance after a simulated match. Future research may include other tennis skills such as volley and drop shot with the measurement of stroke velocity and running speed. The effect of alkalosis on neuromuscular functions and psychological variables such as reactive, anticipatory, and decision-making capacities also warrant further investigation. References 1. Hornery DJ, Farrow D, Mujika I, Young W: Fatigue in tennis: mechanisms of fatigue and effect on performance. Sports Med 2007, 37:199–212.

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