Is tennis one big racket?

09 April 2008

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is bringing its European lecture road show to France on Tuesday 22 April as part of an initiative to explain the influence which science has over top sports performances.

The lecture will take place at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, Sophia Antipolis and will be given by Tom Allen, a second year PhD student from the Sports Engineering Research Group at Sheffield Hallam University. His project is to build and validate a finite-element model of a tennis ball-racket impact. Once complete, the model will serve as an effective design tool as well a valuable research aid.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF), the governing body for the sport, is concerned with maintaining public and commercial interest of the sport and in 1997 set up a technical department in order to monitor, direct and regulate scientific advances and innovations within the sport. A large proportion of this work is undertaken in conjunction with the Sports Engineering Research Group at Sheffield Hallam University.

Mr Allen said, “Since the establishment of tennis in the 1870s, technology within the game has greatly developed; from the early smaller wooden rackets to the larger composite metal ones of today. This technology has massively influenced the way in which the game is played. Overall, these advances have allowed players to hit shots faster and with greater accuracy. Due to the higher ball speed off the racket, a number of people believe that the server is gaining an unfair competitive advantage over their opponent and there is growing apprehension that this is resulting in a reduction in spectator appeal.”

This lecture encompasses the history of tennis equipment as well as explaining the different research tools and techniques which are used to examine the various aspects of the game. Techniques discussed will include experimental impact analysis and player testing using high speed video cameras, aerodynamics using both computational fluid dynamics and wind tunnel testing, along with analytical models and finite element analysis.

The IET European Executive, said, “We feel we have created a unique series of lectures which will bring the science of engineering alive and reference it to everyday life. Understanding the link between scientific research and a world record is sometimes not that obvious. However, in our technological world, there are plenty of opportunities to use science and engineering to enhance performance either of athletes, products or, more commonly, the two together.”

Mary Donovan
Media and PR Officer
T: +44 (0)1438 765587
M: +44 (0) 7725498117
E: mdonovan@theiet.org