Barnett, Tristan, Brown, Alan and Clark, Stephen (2004) Optimal use of tennis resources. In: Proceedings of the 7th Australian Conference on Mathematics and Computers in Sport. Morton, Hugh and Ganesalingam, S, eds. Massey University, Palmerston North, N.Z., pp. 57-65.

Abstract

This paper demonstrates how tennis players can optimize their chance of winning a match by using strategies to utilize their energy resources. This can be achieved by either increasing effort on certain points, games and sets in a match, or by increasing and decreasing effort about an overall mean. The results show that increasing effort on any point in a game before deuce is reached has the same effect on the player’s chances of winning the game. By increasing effort on the important points and decreasing effort on the unimportant points in a game, players can increase their chances of winning a game. For the better player, this gain is a result of the variability about the mean and also the importance of points. The results obtained in tennis are used to investigate problems related to warfare. Conference held from 30th August to 1st September 2004 at Palmerston North, New Zealand

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