The effect of the return of serve on the server pair’s movement parameters and rally outcome in padel using cluster analysis

Purpose: The pressure exerted on racket sports players by the service has been well documented. Whilst the return of serve has been suggested through qualitative interviews as being of similar importance there is a dearth of quantitative data to support this contention. This study analyzed time, speed, and distance parameters related to the outcome of the return of serve (ROS) in Padel, a sport similar to tennis but played on a court bounded by walls and played in doubles format only. Methods: Matches (n = 18) at two tournaments, sanctioned by the Valencian Federation, in 2012 were recorded and processed using Tracker software. ROS shot type (flat or lob), ball location, players’ positions on court and movement parameters between the ROS and the third shot of the server were captured 25 times per second. Results: Both lob and flat ROS produced six main clusters, as well as a small proportion of shots deemed outliers. The clusters differentiated shots played by two different level players (National and Regional), whether the ROS was played following a first or second serve, whether the serving pair adopted a conventional or Australian formation and whether the rally ended in a short number of shots (seven or less) or not. Conclusion: It was suggested that the aim of the ROS in Padel was to prevent the serving pair winning the rally quickly, since the advantage of the serve diminished after around 6 to 8 shots. This was best achieved by good depth on lobs, regardless of the direction, and pace on low shots, predominately aimed toward the server. This approach should be further modified to include the time between serve and ROS and consideration could be given to classifying attacking and defending positions

Nuevas regiones e inversión pública en Chile: el caso de las regiones de Los Ríos y Arica y Parinacota

In recent years, in Chile, there has been a debate on the creation of new administrative regions. This paper analyzes the impact of the creation of Arica and Parinacota and Los Ríos Regions and their residual spaces (Tarapacá and Los Lagos Regions), in regards to its effectiveness in public investment and its relationship with socio-economic indicators. By statistical data processing, we conclude that the creation of these two new regions made possible an increase of the public investment per capita without jeopardizing the residual spaces. In addition, there would not be a consistent relationship between the increase in total public regionalized investment and other indicators. However, we noted a strong relationship between local public investment (regional decision) and wellbeing indicators.En los últimos años en Chile ha existido un debate en torno a la creación de nuevas regiones. Se analiza el impacto de la creación de las regiones de Arica y Parinacota, de Los Ríos y espacios residuales (regiones de Tarapacá y Los Lagos), a partir de la inversión pública efectiva total y su relación con indicadores socioeconómicos. Mediante el tratamiento estadístico de datos, se concluye que el constituirse en región significó un incremento de la inversión pública per cápita sin perjudicar los espacios residuales. Además, no existiría una relación consistente entre el aumento de la inversión pública total regionalizada e indicadores. Por el contrario, se observó mayor relación entre la inversión pública de decisión regional y los indicadores de bienestar.