Anthropometric Aspects and Athletic Performance in Women's Tennis

Background. In recent decades, the evolution of female athletes’ physical characteristics in women’s tennis has sparked interest, particularly regarding the influence of stature on success in Grand Slam tournaments.  Objectives. This study aimed to analyze the evolution of the height of the finalists and winners of the women’s Grand Slam tournaments in order to evaluate whether height is a determining factor for success and whether this impact varies according to the playing surfaces. Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of the heights of the finalists and winners from 2000 to 2024 in the four major Grand Slam tournaments was conducted: Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and U.S. Open. The data were compared between tournaments on fast surfaces (Australian Open and U.S. Open) and tournaments on slower surfaces (Roland-Garros and Wimbledon). Results. The findings revealed a significant increase in the average height of the finalists and winners in tournaments on fast surfaces, with a clear increase in the average height starting from 2021. In tournaments on slower surfaces, the average height showed more stable or slightly declining trends, suggesting that other physical qualities, such as mobility and endurance, may be key to success. In particular, the average height of the Australian Open and U.S. Open finalists indicated a continuous increase, while at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon the fluctuations were more contained. Conclusions. This study confirms that stature has a significant impact on success in Grand Slam tournaments, but this effect is mediated by the playing surface. In tournaments on fast surfaces, greater stature seems to give a competitive advantage, while on slower surfaces other physical factors can play a role. Future perspectives include exploring other anthropometric variables and analyzing their evolution in relation to the needs of modern gaming.