Being exceptionally tall has many advantages, but what about when it comes to an athletic endeavor, particularly when it comes to racket sports? So what are the pros and cons of height when it comes to tennis, squash, racquetball, etc. How can a competitor use the extra height to gain a competitive advantage over an opponent who has a different physical build?
Let’s look at the key attributes of the tallest athlete. The first and most important thing is the scope. Being taller means longer arms, which in turn means longer reach. This is a great advantage in many sports, including racket sports, particularly squash. One of the key principles of squash is mastering the center of the squash court, also known as the T. Young squash players, learning the game, are taught to play their shot and then return to center court . From there they are urged to control the rally by stepping on and reaching for the next shot. Clearly, long range help often prevents the squash player from taking the second step, which in turn gives the player an extra microsecond. The longer your reach, the smaller the short will be.
In tennis, the taller player has a considerable advantage simply because of the presence of the net. The ability to hit the ball higher than your opponent immediately opens up more of the tennis court for him to target. Take, for example, the serve in tennis, which has gone from being a neutral method of initiating a rally to a key shot to establish a sizeable lead on the point. The reason for this transformation is twofold: mainly due to improved technology, but the growing prominence of taller tennis players is a contributing factor to the fact that 87% of men’s professional tennis matches are won by the serving player. The taller player’s ability to hit the ball higher allows him to clear the net and at an angle that can hit more of the court surface than if he were coming from a lower trajectory.
However, smaller racket players have the advantage of faster reaction speeds. The central nervous system can send signals from the brain to the hands and feet faster if the distance to travel is shorter, that is, if you are smaller. In theory, this should lead to reacting faster than a taller opponent.
Like many things in life, being tall has many advantages. Being tall in racket sports is no different.
