How far do you run in a match

[Turbo-87]

I had always wondered so I finally borrowed a fit bit for a singles match. I was playing a very good player who can also move well and both of us can maintain long rallies quite often, resulting in pretty taxing points. My friend hits the ball hard and can hit his spots so he can really make me use my legs a lot. I am making defensive shots at least 60% of the time against him. We only played one set, which he won 7-6 and took about 70 minutes. My result was 4.8 miles, but this included about 15 minutes of just hitting to each other to use up our court time. He was too winded to try another set.

 

[Fintft]

Good for you!
I am overweight now, so I play like your friend I was big/tall to start with.
Besides changing directions on hard courts used to cause me problems and the end of each indoor season; not as much anymore after moving to clay (injury free).

 

[r2473]

I had always wondered so I finally borrowed a fit bit for a singles match. I was playing a very good player and both of us can maintain long rallies quite often, resulting in pretty taxing points. My friend hits the ball hard and can hit his spots so he can really make me use my legs a lot. I am making defensive shots at least 60% of the time against him. We only played one set, which he won 7-6 and took about 70 minutes. My result was 4.8 miles, but this included about 15 minutes of just hitting to each other to use up our court time. He was too winded to try another set.

I think you should get a new fitbit.

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20845492/how-far-do-top-male-tennis-players-run-in-a-match/

The research reveals that, among the top men, David Ferrer, who is known for his speed and agility, covers the most distance. Through three rounds of the tournament, Ferrer had run approximately 10,000 meters or 6.2 miles.

On the other end of the spectrum, top-ranked Novak Djokovic had covered less than half that distance, somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 meters or about 2.5 to 3.1 miles through three rounds of play.

 

[norcal]

I think you should get a new fitbit.

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20845492/how-far-do-top-male-tennis-players-run-in-a-match/

The research reveals that, among the top men, David Ferrer, who is known for his speed and agility, covers the most distance. Through three rounds of the tournament, Ferrer had run approximately 10,000 meters or 6.2 miles.

On the other end of the spectrum, top-ranked Novak Djokovic had covered less than half that distance, somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 meters or about 2.5 to 3.1 miles through three rounds of play.

I'm sure that distance is actually just the running during points.

OP is including warmup, walking around between points, during breaks, chasing loose balls, etc etc. Still seems extremely high for 1.5 hours of tennis.

The other day I hit (rally + groundstroke games) for 1.5 hours, ran quite a bit and totaled around 2.5 miles. That was with no service winners/return errors.

 

[norcal]

From the body fat thread:

I got a Fitbit Versa. I walked 100 steps and it reports 200.
Sometimes reports 0 steps when I sleep. Other times it says I walked 100 steps when I was sleeping.

Sounds like the issue. I guess my Chinese $17 knockoff is twice as accurate!

 

[Raul_SJ]

I think you should get a new fitbit.

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20845492/how-far-do-top-male-tennis-players-run-in-a-match/

The research reveals that, among the top men, David Ferrer, who is known for his speed and agility, covers the most distance. Through three rounds of the tournament, Ferrer had run approximately 10,000 meters or 6.2 miles.

On the other end of the spectrum, top-ranked Novak Djokovic had covered less than half that distance, somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 meters or about 2.5 to 3.1 miles through three rounds of play.

Yes, my Fitbit Versa is way off. Plenty of complaints about step count on the Fitness Community Board...

But it seems to be pretty consistent in its overcount in match play. Haven't figured out the adjustment factor yet. It could be around 50%. So the OP 4.8 miles would equate to 2.4 miles (including walking and picking up balls).

That seems about right for one singles set with long rallies.

In some cases, I can also see counter-puncher 4.0 players with consistent baseline games and non-dominant serves covering more ground than pros with big serves and shorter points.

 

[Turbo-87]

I haven't ever really researched the accuracy of those fit bits. Interesting to hear the arguments against it. I know I wasn't running the entire time and it includes every movement. I'd agree that it was closer to 2.4 than 4.8.

 

[HouTex]

Memorial Park in Houston has a 3.0 mile jogging trail and my fitbit is pretty much spot on when I jog it.

 

[Turbo-87]

I don't doubt the accuracy for a straight run but I think a lot of extra motions during tennis inflate the numbers a bit, especially after reading what others here have to say.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

Alas, cuz of a hip injury (titanium needed), am no longer running on the court. I do, however, "run" a few hundred feet to the restrooms and back. It's a bladder/prostate thing, ya know.

 

[Traffic]

I get about 7500 steps during a 90min court session. I have an average 2.7' walking stride. So that works out to about 3.8mi. It's tough to say distance since some of my strides will be lunges, some will be sprints, some will will be just a hop or shuffling of my feet.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

Usually between 2.5-3 miles for an hour and a half.

 

[r2473]

I haven't ever really researched the accuracy of those fit bits. Interesting to hear the arguments against it. I know I wasn't running the entire time and it includes every movement. I'd agree that it was closer to 2.4 than 4.8.

Did you “run” or “move”? Your thread title is “run”.

That’s why I posted stats from Ferrer and Djokovic. To show how far they ran in the US Open.

 

[tennytive]

Years ago I tried a pedometer playing doubles and it read 1.5 miles when I was finished. I think we played 3 sets but it's doubles so not much running.

 

[Mongolmike]

A friend wears a fitbit and his heart rate and "miles" run always seem really really high for 2 hours of doubles.