What's going on in Andy Murray's head?

Good afternoon all those who are taking a well-earned break from slaving away at work. It probably hasn't escaped your notice that Andy Murray is currently taking on Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon semi-final.

It's been billed the game of the ace-machine versus the master returner and already the pundits are focussing on the vital statistics: speed of serve and percentage of returns. But behind every Roddick ace and every perfectly judged Murray forehand are two brains that over years of training have been exquisitely tuned to the task at hand.

The serve in tennis is a perfect example of what neuroscientists call 'motor learning': a movement that is mastered through repetition. A professional tennis player might be expected to serve several million balls in their career. Neuroscientists have shown that this constant reinforcement and refinement not only changes players' arm muscles but also causes long-term changes in the brain's layout.

In a study of elite raquet sport players, by scientists from the University of Western Australia, the area of the brain that controls the movement and feeling in their racquet hand has been shown to be larger and more responsive than their non-racquet hand. This wasn't simply a left-versus-right difference, as a control group of non-players showed no difference. There was also no difference between the two sides in the brains of social players suggesting that changes take place over a long time period and an awful lot of training.

Murray's skilful returns hinge on his ability to predict where the next ball is going to land before his opponent has even hit it - and of course to get there in time to wallop it back. Neuroscientists have shown that professional athletes are particularly skilled at this type of anticipatory forward planning.

The same skill allows a player to judge precisely the physical consequences of their own actions. This, and a little luck, is what allows a player like Murray to strike the ball at just the right angle to land it in the back corner or the court.

Exactly how the brain achieves this feat is still a matter of contention among scientists. But mirror neurons are a strong contender. We know that these are used to imagine ourselves performing an action when we observe another person performing it. They might also allow us to extrapolate the consequences of an action before we carry it out.

Comments

[Martin Robbins]

Nice post, I was thinking of doing something on this myself, but you've beaten me to it :)

[J B SUSTINS]

What good news murray getting beaten, after his recent comments saying he would support any team that played against England in the 2006 world cup, and turning up for an interview wearing i think was an argentinian shirt, i as an Englishman have no respect for someone who claims to be british to expect an Englishman to support him.he should learn a give a bit of respect before he expects any from the english

[Ed Kay]

Good news that Murray was beaten, eh, J B Sustins, after his "recent" comments... in 2006? You've had 3 years to get over yourself...

Besides, I don't imagine Andy Murray claims to be anything but Scottish, and certainly wouldn't be expecting a humourless Englishman like you to be supporting him.

[Leigh Vernier]

I said to my female sports
psychologist:

"Will you Murray me'.

She misunderstand and now
I'm engaged.