Effect of different time intervals on the judgment of hitting timing among tennis athletes

Accurate time estimation is crucial for performance in dynamic sports environments, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In particular, the effects of periodic moving stimuli and different time intervals on time-to-contact (TTC) estimation have been overlooked. This study examines these effects in tennis athletes, providing insights into the cognitive mechanisms of temporal processing in dynamic sports contexts.

The cortical activity of 28 tennis athletes (17males; aged 23.11 ± 2.38 years) and 27 novices (20males; aged 22.19 ± 2.54 years) was measured using electroencephalography during a TTC task. Participants predicted when an invisible tennis ball would contact a target location under subsecond (0.667s) or suprasecond (1.333 s) intervals, following ball speed changes (0 %, +25 %, or -25 %).

All participants showed better time estimation precision in the suprasecond interval. Athletes exhibited significantly lower variable errors (p = 0.015) and marginally lower absolute errors (p = 0.065), indicating greater consistency in time estimation. Electroencephalography revealed significantly higher CNV amplitudes in athletes (p < 0.001) and lower CNV in the subsecond interval (p < 0.001). Alpha band power was reduced in the subsecond interval (p < 0.001). Higher CNV amplitudes correlated with lower ABS (r = -0.127, p = 0.021), and lower CE was linked to greater alpha band power (r = -0.117, p = 0.033).

These findings indicate that beat-based timing in complex motion relies on higher-level cognitive resources for effective anticipation. Suprasecond intervals enhance better time estimation precision due to cognitive control, whereas subsecond intervals reduce precision. This suggests the formation of an internal model for time estimation. Exploring various time intervals further could inform interventions to improve timing performance in sports training.