Abstract:
Anthropometric characteristics, physical fitness characteristics, and somatotypes
are important and vital for many sports; those characteristics determine the
ultimate performance levels of players. The prime aim of this study was to explain
and compare the anthropometric characteristics, physical fitness, and somatotype
of the top ten male tennis players with those of lower-ranked players in the Sri
Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA)and moreover find the relationship between
anthropometric characteristics, physical fitness characteristics, and somatotype
with performance level. The study comprised 30 male tennis players (n=30) who
were registered under the SLTA. Height, weight, and anthropometric
characteristics such as length, girth, and skinfold measurements were measured
following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2007 protocol. The
performance level and physical fitness characteristics were collected from the
SLTA records. Somatotypes were measured under the protocol of Carter and
Heath's 1990 procedure. The height and the weights were compared between the
top ten ranked players and lowest ranked payers; there was no significant
difference (p>0.05). Length parameters such as forearm (p=0.176, r=+0.210) total leg
(p= 0.049, r=+0.257), as well as girth measurements upper arm (p=0.001, r=+0.276),
wrist (p= 0.042, r=+0.337), waist (p<0.001, r=+0.286) and only calf skinfold (P=0.001,
r=0.464) measurements, were revealed the positive relationship with the
performance level. Physical fitness characteristics such as aerobic endurance
(p=0.002, r=+0.435), muscular endurance (p=0.002, r=+0.46), muscular strength
(p<0.001, r=+0.518), flexibility (p=0.001, r=+0.053) and explosive leg power (p=0.001,
r=+0.596) were shown a positive relationship with performance. Both top and
lower-ranked players were shown majority as mesomorph [2.55(1.0), 5.04(1.45),
4.51 (0.3)] somatotype components, and some of them are in ectomesomorph
[1.8(0.63), 5.55(1.16), 4.68(0.47)] somatotype components. Mesomorphic and
ectomorphic somatotype components predominate in a physique, which only
serves to highlight the potential benefits of these body types.
