In my last blog, I discussed the gross-motor control observed in tennis. Now, let’s discuss fine-motor control, or the small-muscle coordination, and timing of slower and very controlled movements.
In the great game of tennis, you often must slow the ball down and hit a gentle, soft return. We call it a drop shot or drop volley. To hit successful touch shots, you must develop fine motor control of your upper limbs and hands to decelerate the racquet and hit a highly controlled shot that will barely clear the net with a very low bounce. But, this requires incredible coordination between the large muscles and the smaller muscles, of the legs, torso, arm(s), and hand(s).
In a study to examine the ability to be rhythmically accurate and to maintain a steady rhythm in movement execution (considered to be one of the best basic abilities of an athlete), Zachopoulou and research associates found that a tennis group (compared to basketball, swimming, and a control group) was the most rhythmically accurate.