Local Sport

Exeter Uni tennis study throws up a suprise

Throughout the course of this year's rain sodden Wimbledon tournament, students from Exeter University have been seeking to gather data regarding the most common injuries troubling professional tennis players.

The main focus of the study has been to analyse painful inflammation of the tendons at the outer borders of joints, generally caused by overuse of the surrounding muscles. At least, this was the intention...

After a qualifying match in the preliminary rounds, one particularly disappointed Austrian competitor went to the net with head bowed and shook the hand of his victor. As he trudged off the court he bent down and picked up a tennis ball, then put it in his pocket as a souvenir. He then picked up his kit bag, waved to the crowd and lumbered despondently in the direction of the locker room.

It was at this point an eager Exeter uni student jumped out in front of him and noticed the bulge in his shorts – "Ooo" she cooed, "What's that??" "Tennis ball" the player mumbled. The student took out her pen and notebook and replied "That sounds painful - is it like Tennis elbow?"