26 Yard Sprint Test For Tennis | 4.15

A timed linear-speed test with a split-step start outside the court and a straight sprint alongside the sideline, past the net post, to the opposite baseline.

Diagram of the 26 Yard Sprint Test: two agility rings outside the sideline; sprint alongside the court past the net post to the opposite baseline.
Illustrated route based on test 4.15 in the tennis book. Positions are schematic; follow the written setup when placing equipment.

Coaching Demonstration

Outside-court baseline-to-baseline sprint demonstration. For test 4.15, set the measured 23.77 m (26 yd) lane and apply the written start and timing procedure below; the clip does not supply a scored test result.

Equipment

Two rubber agility rings and a stopwatch.

How To Perform The Test

  1. Place the two start rings as specified in the book, approximately 2 m lateral to the baseline, outside the sideline. Keep the sprint lane outside the net post and mark the start so future trials use the same setup.
  2. Stand facing the opposite baseline and split-step into the rings to initiate the test.
  3. Sprint straight alongside the court, passing outside the net post. Stop the timer at the extension of the opposite baseline and record the elapsed time.
  4. Retest on the same court surface with the same ring location, start cue, and timing method.

Record And Interpret The Result

Record the sprint time in seconds. The book calls this the 26 Yard Sprint Test but does not supply age- or level-based pass/fail cutoffs. The drawing is schematic, so measure your actual start-to-finish distance rather than treating the illustration as a scale plan.

Pre-Test Warm-Up

Use the book’s pre-test warm-up: High Knee Pulls with Dorsi Flexion, Buttocks Kicks, Straight Leg Kicks, SL RDL & Quad Stretch, and Bilateral Lunge. The Ball-Drop & React Test uses the shorter three-exercise warm-up listed in its book entry.

Related Training

Stride Length & Frequency Exercises · High Knee Pulls with Dorsi Flexion. Choose training based on the specific movement limitation observed, then retest with the same protocol.

Book Reference

Original test 4.15 26 Yard Sprint Test, retained in Chapter 3 (Assessment) of the Second Edition of Advanced Concepts of Strength & Conditioning for Tennis. This illustration is a new schematic of the written protocol, not a recording of an athlete performing the test.

All Fitness Assessments · Advanced Concepts of Strength & Conditioning for Tennis