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Handedness and professional tennis
1Department of Psychiatry, The Cambridge Hospital/Harvard Medical School, USA.
The International Journal of Neuroscience
|November 9, 2000
Summary
Left-handed (LH) individuals show higher representation in top-ranked professional tennis players, suggesting potential neuroanatomical advantages in motor and spatial skills. However, overall rates of racket use left-handedness in professionals do not differ from the general population.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sports Science
- Human Biology
Background:
- Left-handed (LH) individuals are hypothesized to possess enhanced right-hemisphere functions, including motor, attentional, and spatial abilities.
- Previous studies on the association between left-handedness and superior tennis ability have yielded conflicting results due to methodological limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of left-handedness among professional tennis players.
- To determine if left-handedness is over-represented in highly successful tennis competitors.
- To explore the potential neuroanatomical advantages associated with left-handedness in sports.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of the estimated population rate of left-handedness for racket use (8.1%) with rates among professional tennis players.
- Analysis of handedness frequency in highly successful tennis competitors over a 32-year period (1968-1999).
- Examination of left-handedness rates in male and female professional tennis players.
Main Results:
- Left-handed competitors were significantly over-represented among top-ranking players (World Number One, Top Ten) and Grand Slam finalists/champions.
- Rates of left-handedness were two to five times higher than expected in these elite players.
- No significant difference in left-handedness for racket use was found between male (6.98%) or female (7.69%) professional tennis players and the general population.
Conclusions:
- The findings indirectly support the hypothesis that left-handed individuals may have neuroanatomically-based advantages in visuospatial and visuomotor tasks.
- The results are consistent with a nature/nurture model of cortical development and functioning.
- While elite performance may favor left-handedness, general professional rates do not differ, suggesting complex interactions of factors in sports success.