Description of Relative Age of Elite Tennis Players

Introduction: Relative age affects the development of sports talents. Early puberty gives athletes an advantage, making coaches prefer mature athletes. This study analyzed the relative age distribution among elite clay tennis players in Iran.Materials and Methods: This study analyzed the relative age of ۴۳۰ tennis players between the ages of ۱۰ and ۱۹ (۲۲۸ girls and ۲۰۲ boys) who participated in ۱۴۰۰ national ranking tournaments in clay tennis. The study analyzed the participants' relative age based on their birth month. The first quarter of the Gregorian calendar (January ۱st to March ۳۱st) was referred to as Q۱, the second quarter (April ۱st to June ۳۰th) was Q۲, the third quarter (July ۱st to September ۳۰th) was Q۳, and the fourth quarter (October ۱st to December ۳۱st) was Q۴. The first quarter of the Persian calendar (Pc) (Farvardin ۱st to Khordad ۳۱st) was referred to as Q۱Pc, the second quarter (Tir ۱st to Shahrivar ۳۱st) was Q۲Pc, the third quarter (Mehr ۱st to Azar ۳۱st) was Q۳Pc, and the last three months (Dey ۱st to Esfand ۲۹th or ۳۰th) were Q۴Pc. A frequency analysis based on birth month and quarter was conducted, and the relationship between relative age and attendance in national ranking tournaments was assessed using the chi-square fit test.Results: Statistical analysis of ۴۳۰ individuals showed no significant difference in the number of athletes born in the first to fourth trimesters of both Persian and Gregorian calendars. The P-values were ۰.۱۴۸ and ۰.۲۵۸ for Persian and Gregorian calendars, respectively, while the overall P-value was ۰.۳۵.Conclusion: It seems that relative age did not influence the selection of clay tennis elite athletes in Iran. However, based on the findings from available studies, it is suggested that researchers, coaches, and training experts consider the interaction among background factors, including the potential effects of relative age, to facilitate raising sports talents.

کلیدواژه ها:

environmental factors ، Talent ، Development ، Relative age ، Clay tennis