2025-10-27 – Weekly Tennis News : 120fps in tennis training

Last week, our community delved into a range of engaging topics. Members were particularly focused on the intersection of technology and tennis, discussing how high-frame-rate video can enhance training, as well as the best tools for capturing critical game data like spin and depth. Practical advice on managing glare on tennis courts and running sliding-scale clinics also captured attention. Meanwhile, lighter discussions around memorable and humorous moments in professional tennis provided some laughs.


This Week’s Hot Topics

When 120fps meets a whiff
There’s a fascinating thread about using 120 frames per second video to catch those elusive moments in tennis training. This discussion is particularly interesting for coaches and players keen on leveraging technology for skill improvement.
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Which glare tool fits tennis courts
Managing glare is crucial for performance and comfort on the court. Members are exchanging tips on the most effective tools to address this issue, which is a must-read for anyone involved in court maintenance or design.
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Best way to get trustworthy spin + depth data
The quest for accurate data on spin and depth during play is on. This thread explores the most reliable methods and tools, making it essential for players and coaches looking to refine their strategies.
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Best tools for sliding-scale clinics
Running a sliding-scale clinic poses unique challenges. This discussion is a treasure trove of advice and tool recommendations for those looking to manage such clinics effectively.
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FAQ/Guidelines
A useful resource for both new and existing members, this thread covers the essential guidelines and frequently asked questions to help navigate our forum smoothly.
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Admin Guide: Getting Started
For those taking on administrative roles, this guide provides a comprehensive starting point to manage forum activities efficiently.
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What Skills Do You Need to Succeed in Tennis?
A thoughtful discussion on the essential skills required for success in tennis, whether you’re a player, coach, or enthusiast.
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The Funniest Moments from Professional Tennis Matches
A light-hearted look at some of the most amusing incidents from professional matches, perfect for a quick laugh.
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When a Player Hits the Net… and Everyone Laughs
Exploring those unexpected moments during matches when a player hits the net in a humorous way. It’s a fun thread for anyone who enjoys tennis bloopers.
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Tennis Coach Mishaps: Funniest Training Moments
Coaches share their funniest mishaps during training sessions, offering a light-hearted look at the ups and downs of coaching.
Read more here


Thank you for staying connected and contributing to our discussions. Your involvement makes our community richer and more vibrant. Until next time, take care and enjoy the game!

1 Like

I film at 120fps, shutter 1/1000; Kinovea reviews spin: https://www.kinovea.org… Low light? 60fps looks cleaner.

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I’ve had better results at 120fps using a 1/240 shutter indoors to avoid LED flicker and keep natural blur β€” 1/1000 can make swings look like a flipbook… For depth, stick the phone 8–10 ft up behind the baseline; if you want auto depth maps and shot charts, SwingVision’s solid: https://swing.vision.

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For the β€œglare on tennis courts” piece, a $15 circular polarizer clip on my phone has been the biggest upgrade when shooting 120fps. It cuts reflections off the court and strings so the contact point and ball edges are easier to read, but you do lose a bit of light so I pull it off once the sun starts dropping.

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Picked up a cheap chalk reel and snapped a bright line just past the service line; it makes depth checks at 120fps trivial when I calibrate in Kinovea later, and it cost about $8 (indoors, use painter’s tape). , autofocus hunting kept ruining takes until I long-pressed to set β€˜AE/AF Lock’ and nudged exposure down a notch. A single green dot sticker on the ball reads spin more clearly at 120fps than two dots, but peel it off after a few hits.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€β β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€β β€Œβ€Œβ β€β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹

I’ve been getting cleaner contact frames at 120fps by long-pressing to use β€˜AE/AF Lock’ and setting anti‑flicker to 60 Hz, then framing from waist-high behind the backhand corner so the ball stays against a darker backdrop. For quick scaling without props, I drop a 12-inch folding ruler at the baseline edge and calibrate in Kinovea (https://www.kinovea.org), but if light’s weak I stick with 120 instead of jumping to 240 because clarity dips fast. Nice tip on indoor shutter, @eddie_mack12.

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I’ve had better luck at 120fps using the free Blackmagic Camera app to set the shutter to β€œ180°” (β‰ˆ1/240s) and keep ISO at minimum, which makes spin and contact frames way crisper. Only caveat: it needs more light, so at dusk I clip a tiny $18 LED to the fence instead of letting the phone crank ISO and smear the frames.

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