# Effects of low-volume court-based sprint interval training on anaerobic capacity and sport-specific performance in competitive tennis players

PMID: 39160251
Journal: Scientific reports
Published: 2024 Aug 19
Authors: Zhao D, Liu H, Yang W, Ho IMK, Poon ET, Su Y, Guo Y, Huang Y, Li Q

## Question

Does low-volume court-based sprint interval training improve anaerobic capacity and tennis-specific repeated-sprint/intermittent performance compared with endurance treadmill running in competitive tennis players?

## Summary

Six weeks of low-volume court-based sprint interval training improved anaerobic average power, Yo-Yo intermittent recovery performance, and repeated-sprint tennis performance in competitive male collegiate tennis players. Continuous endurance running accumulated much more training load and duration but did not show the same tennis-specific improvements.

## Population

- Twenty-four competitive collegiate male tennis players with at least 4 years of systematic tennis training, no recent severe injury, and about 20 h/week regular training.
- Sample size: 24
- Sex: Male
- Fitness level: Competitive collegiate tennis players
- Health status: Healthy athletes without severe recent injury

## Methodology

- Randomized controlled 6-week pre/post training study
- 6 weeks
- Competitive tennis training environment
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Court-based tennis SIT.
- Modality: Tennis-court shuttle sprinting with changes of direction.
- Work intervals: 110 m repeated forward/backward sprint pattern over 5-20 m segments.
- Recovery: 20 s between sprints and 5 min between sets.
- Sets or repetitions: 3 sets of 3 sprints per session.
- Intensity: Maximal sprint effort with HR and blood lactate monitoring.
- Session duration: Low-volume sprint session; total sprint distance 990 m/session excluding rests.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 6 weeks.
- Progression: Protocol remained structured around 3 sets of 3 sprints.
- Endurance treadmill running.
- Modality: Treadmill running.
- Work intervals: Continuous run.
- Sets or repetitions: 45 min continuous session.
- Intensity: Velocity corresponding to 75% VO2max.
- Session duration: 45 min.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 6 weeks.
- Progression: Not described.

## Outcomes

### Anaerobic power
Status: improved
Wingate average power improved significantly in the SIT group, with a significant group-by-time interaction; endurance training did not show the same change.

### Intermittent endurance
Status: improved
Yo-Yo IR2 distance increased about 7.8% after SIT and did not significantly improve after endurance training.

### Repeated sprint
Status: mixed
SIT reduced repeated-sprint mean and total times; best time and percent decrement were not significantly changed.

### Training load
Status: mixed
Endurance running produced much higher total TRIMP, while SIT produced more time and load in the 90-100% HRmax zone.

## Practical Insights

- Tennis-specific sprint intervals can target high HR zones with far less total duration than continuous endurance running.
- Short sport-specific shuttle patterns may transfer better to repeated-sprint tennis performance than treadmill endurance work.
- Court-based HIIT should be matched to sport movement demands when the target is sport-specific performance.

## Limitations

- Small sample.
- Male collegiate competitive tennis players only.
- Six-week preparatory-season block only.
- The study did not test variations in sprint length or number.
- No long-term competition outcomes were reported.

## Safety And Adherence

- No adverse events were reported; eligibility excluded severe recent injuries.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39160251/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-70198-9) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11333483/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.