Relationship between Field Perception and Outcome of Competition in Table Tennis Players

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the field perception and outcome of competition in order to promote training and competition effects in table tennis players. Using convenient sampling, this study sampled data from 50 players of men's single table tennis from the 2015 Taiwan Collegiate Games. This study recorded every match and asked players to complete the field perception after competition. With χ^2 and logistic regression analysis, this study found the following results: (1) there was a significant relationship between field perception and outcome of competition in pre-serve; (2) during the tie situation, field perception was correlated with competition outcome; (3) the field perception after outcome of a score was correlated with next score; and (4) field perception shown to promote sport performance in table tennis players. This study concludes that the field perception in pre-serve, tie situation and outcome of last score were significantly correlated with the next score. These results indicate that field perception is beneficial to competition outcome for the table tennis players. This study suggests table tennis players and coaches should strengthen positive field perception in competition to produce more positive perception under critical conditions, which certainly help to improve the performance and win the competitions.