Experimental Study on the Effect of Background Interference on Tennis Players' Serving Performance

Abstract

The learning of tennis movement skills is rather complex and requires repeated practice and body coordination. It is difficult to master standardized technical movements in a short period of time. Therefore, a variety of training methods have been developed to facilitate the learning of tennis movement skills. In particular, the theory of background interference has been discussed by many scholars in recent years. Whether background interference is beneficial or detrimental to the learning of tennis movement skills requires further validation by scholars. Based on research methods such as literature, experiments, expert interviews and mathematical statistics, the effect of background interference on tennis players' serving technique training was examined using 15 Level 2 tennis players with no significant difference as subjects in a sports institute. They were divided into three groups of 5, each by serpentine grouping. The experiment was conducted for 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week, for a total of 12 sessions of training. Four experimental indices (serving performance, accuracy, inside-angle accuracy, and speed) were selected for testing. The results showed that: (1) During skill acquisition, the players comprehended tennis serves more deeply. Moreover, they improved the power and speed of the serve and controlled the direction of the drop better. (2) The results of the retention test reflected the performance characteristics of effective learning, with the persistent practice effects. High background-interference practice facilitated long-term memory and also clarified each serve more distinctly. (3) After high background-interference exercises, athletes tolerated stress better in migration tests, enabling themselves to adapt to new operating environments quickly. The training method of the randomized training group was shown to be more effective than the sequence and group training methods in improving technical stability in a high-stress, high-intensity environment. (4) The results of the skill acquisition, retention test, and migration tests were all following the experimental expectations, and the athletes' serving accuracy as well as their serving scores all improved to different degrees, confirming that the high background-interference practices were conducive to the athletes' skill retention and migration.