Loughborough University researching how tennis players can improve their serve

One athlete benefiting from the technology is Loughborough University National Tennis Academy (LUNTA) player Mika Stojsavljevic.

Loughborough University is using science to examine how tennis players can improve the power, accuracy, and consistency of their serve.

Delivered in collaboration with Loughborough Sport and the School of Sport, Exercise, and Health Sciences (SSEHS), the study uses advanced sensor technology, high-speed video analysis, and virtual modelling to learn more about one of the sport’s most complex skills.

One athlete benefiting first-hand from the leading technology is current Loughborough University National Tennis Academy (LUNTA) player Mika Stojsavljevic.

Stojsavljevic, who won the US Open junior title in 2024, is also set to compete at this year’s Wimbledon.

Michael Shaw, Doctoral Researcher, SSEHS, explained: “We've had our first player from the National Academy come into the lab for some biomechanical analysis. We’ve been measuring kinematic data and force data to try and look at some important variables that have been shown in previous research to be related to the tennis serve.

“We get a lot of detailed feedback that we can provide to players…from that we look at what influences performance, looking at accuracy, racket speed, ball speed and trying to get a better understanding of which parts are the most important when it comes to analysing the serve and providing feedback to players.”

Kamlesh Soda, Head of Performance Support for the National Tennis Academy, added: “The first serve is a massive part of tennis and the outcome of the match.

“We as a team have been doing lots of projects working on the first serve to try and improve not only our players’ ability to tolerate first serves across a week of tournaments, but also to improve their ability to apply forces and speed of the serve and accuracy.

“It's not something that many players have in the world [the research]. This is something that we can get an advantage on and develop our players in this area.”

This year’s Wimbledon Championship will take place from Monday 30 June – Sunday 13 July with Loughborough set to be well represented in SW19.