Kinematic and Muscle Activation Differences Between High-Performance and Intermediate Tennis Players During the Forehand Drive

This study compared the kinematic and neuromuscular characteristics of the tennis forehand drive between high-performance (HP) and intermediate (INT) players. Eighteen right-handed male players (HP: n = 9; INT: n = 9) performed cross-court forehands while three-dimensional motion capture and surface electromyography (EMG) were recorded from the dominant upper limb and trunk. Kinematic and EMG data were time-normalized to the forward swing. One-dimensional statistical parametric mapping two-sample t-tests were used to compare joint angles, angular and linear velocities, and EMG amplitude waveforms between groups. Bonferroni-corrected significance levels were set at α = 0.0017 for kinematic variables and α = 0.0063 for EMG data. HP players exhibited greater racket linear velocity during the final part of the forward swing, accompanied by higher shoulder, elbow and wrist linear velocities, whereas hip linear velocity did not differ between groups. Joint angles were broadly similar, with SPM revealing only slightly greater early knee flexion in HP players. In contrast, HP players showed higher hip and knee angular velocities and greater wrist angular velocities in both flexion/extension and radial/ulnar deviation towards impact. EMG patterns were generally comparable, but HP players displayed higher biceps brachii activation in two significant clusters during the mid-to-late forward swing and greater triceps brachii activation in the late forward swing. No significant differences were observed for deltoid, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, flexor carpi radialis or extensor carpi radialis. These findings indicate that superior forehand performance in HP players is associated primarily with refined segmental coordination, greater lower-limb and distal segment velocities, and locally increased elbow muscle activation, rather than with widespread increases in upper-limb or trunk muscle activity.