Relative age refers to chronological difference between individuals born in the same year (BARNSLEY et. al. 1985). It can influence development, learning, outcomes and retention in sport. This influence is known as the relative age effect (RAE) (GRONDIN et. al. 1984). The present study investigated the association between relative age and rankings in youth and professional tennis. The sample size was 924 athletes of both sexes. Statistical analysis consisted of simple linear regression and multivariate ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni test to a predictive level of p<0.05 (SPSS 18.0). The results showed association only in male categories: 14 years, 22% (β = -0478, p = 0.003); and 18 years, 72% (β = -0269, p = 0.00). This suggests that relative age influenced tennis performance during the critical moments of sexual maturation. However, a greater number of older players were observed in all categories, indicating the existence of a relative age effect in tennis.
Tennis; Age Distribution; Athletic Performance
