NATIONAL TENNIS RATING PROGRAM

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NTRP Testing

student/ player name(s): Roger Federer

Coach performing the test: Coach Dave

date/ time: July 13, 2024 at 11am-12pm

Overall NTRP rating = 2.22 

NTRP rating of 2.22 gives a suggested level at BreakPoint in the "Advanced-Beginner" category.

Summary of each Testing Part

PART 1 of 4: Rally Test   Rogers score is NTRP of 2.15

PART 2 of 4: Net Play   Rogers score is NTRP of 2.25

PART 3 of 4: Serve   Rogers score is NTRP of 2.35

PART 4 of 4: Return of Serve   Rogers score is NTRP of 2.12

PART 1 of 4: Rally Test   Rogers score is NTRP of 2.15

A player with an NTRP of 2.0 - 2.5 "Advanced-Beginner" has an avg rally ability in maintaining a medium paced 8 shot rally 50% of the time.  That is to say once a rally starts, a player would be able to hit the ball back and forth 8 times before an error occurs 50% of the time.

Rogers result

Test 1 - rally 3/10

Test 2 - rally 3/10

Rogers average success in maintaining a medium paced 8 shot rally was 30%.

The benchmark for NTRP 1.5-2.0 is 20% success on an 8 shot slow paced rally.  Roger surpassed the average result for NTRP 1.5-2.0. He definitely wasn’t slow in rally delivery; so he surpassed the benchmark in NTRP 1.5-2.0 in speed. He also used spin effectively, which surpasses NTRP 1.5-2.0, which players at this level don’t use.

His forehand is more developed than his backhand; which is consistent with a 2.0-2.5 player. And he actually exceeds the "moderate pace“ required for this division. He was shy of reaching the 50% average benchmark, which would put him under NTRP 2.25.  His final rally score according to this would put Roger at NTRP of 2.15 for "rally" category .

PART 2 of 4: Net Play

Rogers score is NTRP of 2.25

A player with an NTRP of 2.0 - 2.5 "Advanced-Beginner" has a net play ability of successfully hitting the ball anywhere in the court 50% while 'on the move‘. That is to say if they are travelling while performing a volley or overhead (or half-volley at higher levels), they will be successful in returning the ball 50% of the time.  The required incoming ball needs to be coming at a moderate pace or lobed in a fashion that requires modest footwork.

Rogers result

Test 1 - "on the move” net play 4/10

Test 2 - “on the move” net play 5/10

Rogers average success in returning the ball "on the move“ was 45%.

A player with an NTRP of 2.0 - 2.5 "Advanced-Beginner" has a net play ability of successfully hitting the ball into a half court target 50% while 'stationary‘. That is to say if they are already in the "ideal volley location" (half way between the net and service line & centred), the player will successfully hit it into a half court target 50% of the time.  Again, the required incoming ball needs to be coming at a moderate pace.

Roger result

Test 1 - "stationary“ (into a half court target) net play 5/10

Test 2 - "stationary“ (into a half court target)net play 6/10

Rogers average success in returning the ball "stationary“ (into a half court target) was 55%.

Given that Roger was exactly 5% under the average in "on the move“ and 5% over in "stationary“; his final grade lands at exactly in the middle, landing him an NTRP of 2.25 for "net play“ category.

PART 3 of 4: Serve

Rogers score is NTRP of 2.35

A player with an NTRP of 2.0 - 2.5 "Advanced-Beginner" has a serve ability of successfully hitting the first serve 50% of the time with a complete motion. That is to say their first serve is not a "backscratcher” serve and the player enters a trophy position after tossing. The guidelines stipulate that the serve is sufficient at lower level tournaments.  

Rogers result

Test 1 - first serve 6/10

Test 2 - first serve 7/10

Rogers average success in first serve was 65%.

A player with an NTRP of 2.0 - 2.5 "Advanced-Beginner" has a serve ability of successfully hitting the second serve 70% of the time with an incomplete motion. That is to say their second serve can take the form of a "backscratcher” serve and the player does not need to enter a trophy position after tossing.

Rogers result

Test 1 - second serve 6/10

Test 2 - second serve 8/10

Harry’s average success in second serve was 70%.

Interpreting Rogers results was unique in that he entered the trophy position in both the first and second serve. He exceeded the average benchmark in first serves by 15% (benchmark is 50% and he had 65%) and met the benchmark in second serve of 70% without having to modify his delivery. We therefore have to grant him an NTRP a few percentage points over the mid-range of  2.25, ultimately landing him at NTRP 2.35 for "serve“ category.

The next level (2.5-3.0) would be to break up the service box in half and start going for a target (ie aim for a zone within the deuce box).

PART 4 of 4: Return of Serve

Rogers score is NTRP of 2.12

A player with an NTRP of 2.0 - 2.5 "Advanced-Beginner" has a return-of-serve ability of successfully hitting the ball anywhere in the court 70% of the time. That is to say their return-of-serve is 70% successful when receiving a serve served by an equal player (or a coach simulating a 2.0-2.5 player)

Rogers result

Test 1 - return of serve anywhere in court 5/10

Test 2 - return of serve anywhere in court 4/10

Rogers average success in returning of serve anywhere in court was 45%.

A player with an NTRP of 2.0 - 2.5 "Advanced-Beginner" has a return-of-serve ability of successfully hitting the ball in a half court target 50% of the time. That is to say their return-of-serve is 50% successful in landing within a half court target when receiving a serve served by an equal player (or a coach simulating a 2.0-2.5 player)

Rogers result

Test 1 - return of serve in 1/2 court target 6/10

Test 2 - return of serve in 1/2 court target 3/7

Rogers average success in returning of serve  in a "half court boundary” was 53%.

What’s interesting is that Roger actually performed better when the target was present vs being able to hit it anywhere within the court boundary (granted it was a small sample size).  The pressure of a smaller target actually rendered a better result for Roger.

The 45% result in the "return of serve anywhere in court" would put Roger at an NTRP of 2.0; whereas the 53% "return of serve anywhere in the half court boundary” would put him at NTRP just over 2.25.  This gives an average result of NTRP 2.12 for "return-of-serve" category.