TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Shen, Boyu
AU  -  Hang, Su
AU  -  Wang, Shuai
AU  -  Zhang, Zhengxiao
AU  -  Kim, Sukwon
T1  -  Anticipatory COM-COP coordination as a determinant of forehand volley performance in skilled and non-skilled tennis players
PY  -  2025
Y1  -  2025-09-01
JO  -  Medicina dello Sport
JA  -  Med Sport
VL  -  78
IS  -  4
SP  -  289
EP  -  298
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  1827-1863
Y2  -  2026/04/28
N2  -  Summary. The purpose of this study was to quantify how tennis players of different skill levels regulate their center of mass (COM) and center of pressure (COP) during forehand volleys, and to identify biomechanical strategies associated with stable and efficient performance. Sixteen right-handed players (8 skilled and 8 non-skilled) performed standardized forehand volleys while three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces were recorded using a motion-capture system and force platforms. COM and COP trajectories (position, velocity, and acceleration) were extracted along the mediolateral, anteroposterior, and vertical axes and compared between groups using independent-samples t-tests. Skilled players exhibited substantially greater forward COM displacement, velocity, and acceleration in the anteroposterior direction than non-skilled, whereas mediolateral and vertical COM differences were small. In contrast, COP analysis showed that skilled players adopted a more medial COP position and a smaller forward COP shift between backswing and ball impact, indicating that their net COP remained closer to the center of the base of support. No significant group differences were found in COP velocity or acceleration along either axis, although skilled players tended to show lower anteroposterior COP velocity. Together, these findings suggest that skilled players coordinate a more aggressive forward projection of the COM with relatively constrained COP shifts, consistent with an anticipatory and economical postural control strategy during forehand volleys. Anticipatory regulation of COM relative to COP may therefore represent an important contributor to successful volley performance and a potential target for balance- and posture-oriented training interventions in tennis.
ER  -