Physiological Responses and Intensity Profiles During Simulated Match Play in World-Class Wheelchair Tennis Players.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to clarify the physiological demands during simulated tennis matches on a hard court in world-class wheelchair tennis players. METHODS: Two male and 4 female wheelchair tennis players completed 2 tests: an arm-cranking test in the laboratory and measurement of physiological responses during a wheelchair tennis match on a hard court. In the arm-cranking test, oxygen uptake (V˙O2), heart rate (HR), and blood lactate concentration were determined to evaluate the maximum values of V˙O2 (V˙O2max) and HR (HRmax), their values at the lactate threshold (LT) (V˙O2LT and HRLT), as well as the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) (V˙O2OBLA and HROBLA). On the court, V˙O2 and HR during matches were determined and expressed relative to the corresponding values determined in the laboratory (%V˙O2max and %HRmax, respectively). We also calculated the cumulative times spent in 3 intensity zones, defined as zone 1 (≤LT), zone 2 (>LT to <OBLA), and zone 3 (≥OBLA). RESULTS: The median %V˙O2max and %HRmax were 56.1% and 72.7%, respectively. V˙O2LT was significantly positively correlated with zone 1 (τb = .733). The median V˙O2 was significantly higher in service than return games (service: 22.5 [19.2-23.4] mL/kg/min, return: 18.8 [18.0-21.3] mL/kg/min), which corresponded to significantly shorter and longer cumulative times spent in zones 1 and 2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: World-class wheelchair tennis players played most of the match at moderate intensities between LT and OBLA, and a higher percentage of V˙O2max at LT was associated with longer time spent in lower intensity zones during matches.