The Measurement of Exhaustion: Calculating the Fatigue Index in Five-Set Tennis Encounters
The Nature of the Five-Set Contest
To understand the necessity of such a calculation, one must first appreciate the unique physiological demands placed upon a tennis player during a five-set encounter. Unlike shorter formats, which allow for bursts of intense effort followed by relative recovery, the longest format of the sport requires a sustained management of energy reserves. I have watched numerous matches at Roland Garros and Wimbledon where the physical deterioration of the competitors becomes visibly apparent only after the third hour of play. Continue reading “The Measurement of Exhaustion: Calculating the Fatigue Index in Five-Set Tennis Encounters”