Roger Federer’s eighth Wimbledon title surely places him as one of the greatest athletes in any sport, but from a neuroscientific point of view his achievement in tennis is especially interesting. He may not have the fastest serve in the game but it’s his return that is really remarkable.
A tennis ball travelling at 130mph (not unusual these days) goes from the server’s racket to the far end of the court before even the fastest human can plan and execute a response. The photodetectors in the eye have to process the light that hits the retina, allowing the signal to travel up the optic nerve, at which point you can work out what to do. Then the impulse travels back down the nerves to the muscles, ready for action – by which time the point is over.
Federer’s genius is to predict where the ball is going based on the movement of his opponent’s body during the serving action, and the mind games that allow him to predict choices almost before his opponent knows he’s made them.
That reading ability is why former champions make such good commentators. But there’s little sign that Federer is ready to make that switch just yet.
Dr Daniel Glaser is director of Science Gallery at King’s College London
