The effect of mental fatigue on technical test performance and psychophysiological responses i̇n recreati̇onal tennis players

In this study, the psychophysiological, cognitive, and technical test performance responses of individuals playing tennis recreationally under mental fatigue were examined using the UTN test. The research group consisted of 10 male and 10 female participants who played tennis recreationally. After conducting anthropometric measurements on the participants, the UTN test was administered first in random order without inducing mental fatigue and later after inducing mental fatigue. The EncephalApp application, which includes the Stroop test, was used to induce mental fatigue. The UTN test was designed with a one-week interval between the experimental and control conditions. During the study, responses for heart rate (HR), perceived exertion (RPE), visual analog scale (VAS), Brunel mood scale, exercise enjoyment, and tracking test A-B (TT A-B) were determined for both intra-group and inter-group comparisons of male and female participants under mental fatigue and control conditions. In addition, the intra-group and inter-group UTN test responses of male and female participants under mental fatigue and control conditions were recorded and analyzed. According to the findings of the study, no statistically significant differences were found in the intra-group and inter-group responses of heart rate (HR), perceived exertion (RPE), visual analog scale (VAS), Brunel mood scale, exercise enjoyment, and tracking test A-B (TT A-B) between the mental fatigue and control conditions of male and female participants (p>0.05). Additionally, no statistically significant differences were found in the intra-group and inter-group UTN test responses of the participants under mental fatigue and control conditions (p>0.05). In conclusion, the UTN test conducted under mental fatigue has no impact on the psychophysiological, cognitive, and technical responses of recreational tennis players.