Interactive Three-Phase Structure for Table Tennis Performance Analysis: Application to Elite Men’s Singles Matches

Abstract

The aim of the current study was twofold: (a) to construct an Interactive Three-Phase Structure for table tennis performance analysis and (b) to apply the proposed structure to the performance analysis of elite men’s singles matches. The current structure makes improvements over the former ones in the following aspects: more comprehensive performance variables consisting of bilateral actions covering the whole rally competing process, a better phase division method fitting to the real match situation and more focused analysis achieved by the designed critical phase. The analysis of 56 elite men’s singles matches (5507 rallies) was conducted using the proposed structure. The results demonstrated that performance variables of the rally competing process ceasing in Phase 2 (initial attack and counterattack phase) were decisive for the rally outcome of elite men’s singles matches. The proposed structure provides practitioners with a better model to enhance the effectiveness of table tennis performance analysis.