A Shot Number Based Approach to Performance Analysis in Table Tennis.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Performance Analysis
• Table Tennis Analytics

Background:

• Conventional table tennis performance analysis lacks detailed insights into player skills and tactics.
• Existing methods may not accurately evaluate scoring and returning abilities.
• A need exists for a more comprehensive and easily understandable performance evaluation criterion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel performance analysis method for table tennis based on shot frequency.
• To enhance the accuracy of evaluating player skills and tactics.
• To provide additional insights into scoring and returning skills and simplify result interpretation.

Main Methods:

• Developed a new performance analysis approach incorporating the frequency of each shot number.
• Applied the proposed method to analyze matches from the 2012 London Olympic Games.
• Compared performance metrics between Chinese players and international counterparts.

Main Results:

• The study identified significant effects of shot number and gender on table tennis performance.
• Analysis revealed distinct skills and tactics employed by Chinese players.
• The novel method demonstrated advantages in providing useful performance information.

Conclusions:

• The proposed shot frequency analysis method offers superior insights compared to conventional approaches.
• This method provides a more accurate and accessible way to evaluate table tennis player performance.
• Findings highlight gender differences and specific tactical approaches in elite table tennis.