Data in Brief 54 (2024) 110438

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Data in Brief

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/dib

Data Article

Tennis shot side-view and top-view data set

for player analysis in Tennist
Kalin Guanlun Lai a, Hsu-Chun Huang b, Wei-Ting Lin c,∗,
Shang-Yi Lin a, Kawuu Weicheng Lin a
a
Department of Computer Science & Information Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and
Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
b
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung,
Taiwan
c
Physical Education Office, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Tennis is a popular sport, and the introduction of technol-

Received 19 December 2023 ogy has allowed players to diversify their training. Tennis
Revised 13 March 2024 ball tracking is currently a focal point, serving not only to
Accepted 12 April 2024 assist referees but also to enhance sports analysis. We in-
Available online 18 April 2024
troduce the Tennis Shot Side-View and Top-View Dataset,
Dataset link: Tennis Shot Side-View and
which serves as an invaluable resource for analyzing tennis
Top-View Data Set for 3D Reconstruction movements and verifying landing positions after flight. This
and Player Analysis in Tennis (Original data) dataset combines side-view and top-view video clips, captur-
ing various shot types and player movements from both out-
Keywords:
door and indoor fields. The dataset includes the actual ball
Object tracking
positions of each clip for verification purposes. The Tennis
Physical simulation
Tennis ball flying
Shot Side-View and Top-View Dataset represents a significant
Sports technology advancement in tennis research. Its multidimensional nature
opens doors for in-depth player analysis, performance en-
hancement, and strategy development. We believe that this
dataset will be a valuable asset to the tennis community, fos-
tering innovation and excellence in the sport.
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc.
This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

∗
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected] (W.-T. Lin).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2024.110438
2352-3409/© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
2 K.G. Lai, H.-C. Huang and W.-T. Lin et al. / Data in Brief 54 (2024) 110438

Specifications Table

Subject Computer Science / Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition

Specific subject area Image Processing; 3D Reconstruction; Object Tracking in Video;
Tennis Tracking; 3D Ball Trajectory Simulation
Data format Raw
Type of data Video file using H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec (.mp4)
.csv file (the records of real landing point)
Data collection The dataset includes 472 clips, organized to two main directories:
“Outdoor Field” and “Indoor Field”. These directories are divided into
sub-directories, “Straight Shot” and “Cross-court Shot”. Both of shots
(tennis forehand shots) directories are split into two view folders,
“Top-View” and “Side-View”:

• “Outdoor Field/Straight Shot/Top-View” includes 18 clips representing

the top-view of tennis straight shot in outdoor field.
• “Outdoor Field/Straight Shot /Side-View” includes 18 clips representing
the side-view of tennis straight shot in outdoor field.
• “Outdoor Field/Cross-court Shot/Top-View” includes 20 clips
representing the top-view of tennis cross-court shot in outdoor field.
• “Outdoor Field/Cross-court Shot/Side-View” includes 20 clips
representing the side-view of tennis cross-court shot in outdoor field.
• “Indoor Field/Straight Shot/Top-View” includes 99 clips representing
the top-view of tennis straight shot in Indoor field.
• “Indoor Field/Straight Shot/Side-View” includes 99 clips representing
the side-view of tennis straight shot in Indoor field.
• “Indoor Field/Cross-court Shot/Top-View” includes 99 clips
representing the top-view of tennis cross-court shot in Indoor field.
• “Indoor Field/Cross-court Shot/Side-View” includes 99 clips
representing the side-view of tennis cross-court shot in Indoor field.

The CSV files under root folder contain each ball’s real landing point
coordinates records. The file’s name indicates the data is from where: field
categories and shot types.
Data source location National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST).
Outdoor field:Tennis Courts in NKUST
Indoor field:Stadiums in NKUST
Data accessibility Repository name: Tennis Shot Side-View and Top-View Data Set for Player
Analysis in Tennis
Data identification number: 10.17632/75m8vz7jr2.2
Direct URL to data: https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/75m8vz7jr2

1. Value of the Data

• Advancing sports technology, our dataset represents a significant contribution to the field of
sports technology. Demonstrates how the integration of computer vision technology can be
utilized in tennis practice assistance and data analysis.
• Facilitating image recognition in sports, our dataset includes valuable insights into image
recognition techniques applied in sports. The accuracy of the data helps researchers and prac-
titioners in the development of recreational games.
• To predict the landing position of the tennis ball after flight, our dataset contains data related
to the landing position of the tennis ball after flight. By analyzing the verification of the
correct position of the tennis ball after flight, we help to understand ball physics and help to
predict the flight pattern of the ball in a real tennis match.
• It is necessary to establish a diversified database of sports data, and through the data collec-
tion in different tennis courts, we can understand the difference between the data collection
in Outdoor field and Indoor field. It will be helpful for researchers to have a reference on the
diversity of data collection.
 K.G. Lai, H.-C. Huang and W.-T. Lin et al. / Data in Brief 54 (2024) 110438 3

2. Background

Sports-related datasets offer valuable insights into various aspects such as policy-making,
consumer decision-making, and sports science. These datasets play a crucial role in monitor-
ing athlete health, managing sports injuries, analyzing athlete skills, and enhancing science and
technology [1–3]. As technology continues to advance, its application in sports-related domains
becomes increasingly prevalent. Whether it involves data collection through technology or the
utilization of data to develop technological systems, this approach represents the current main-
stream trend [4–6].
In our specific context, our focus lies on the development of interactive entertainment. This
entails harnessing computer vision methodologies, including moving object segmentation and
color segmentation. Within the realm of sports science and technology, the dataset under con-
sideration serves as a vital resource for research endeavors aiming to uncover the intricate dy-
namics of tennis gameplay [7,8]. The dataset comprises rich top-view and side-view video clips,
facilitating the estimation of the tennis ball’s landing position [9].
This dataset offers spatial data from two perspectives, contributing to the establishment of
comprehensive landing coordinates for tennis trajectories [10,11]. By integrating computer vision
technology, players can predict the landing position of the tennis ball after contact. Our goal
with this dataset is to foster the advancement of computer vision applications in tennis-related
fields, particularly in interactive entertainment scenarios. The dataset is tailored for validation
purposes to ensure its utility and effectiveness across various applications in the field.

3. Data Description

Our dataset represents a valuable resource for researchers and enthusiasts in the realm of
sports science, computer vision, and tennis analysis [12,13]. We have constructed a unique
dataset that captures tennis activities in diverse environments, encompassing both outdoor
fields, exemplified by tennis clay courts, and Indoor fields built within stadiums. Indoor fields
serve as a valuable resource for players seeking indoor practice environments, a feature less
popular in regions such as Taiwan compared to Europe and the United States. Moreover, these
Indoor fields in school gymnasiums address the challenge of playing tennis outdoors during ad-
verse weather conditions, facilitating year-round training.
This experiment was conducted at NKUST, involving both tennis courts and stadiums. Two
cameras were utilized for the experiment, and the same participant conducted the experiment
in different venues. The data in our dataset is collected from both an outdoor field and an indoor
field, which enhances the reliability of our data [14]. In the outdoor field, we specifically chose
a clay tennis court because it provides greater accuracy in measuring real distances, as it retains
the imprint of the tennis ball on the ground. For the indoor field, we utilize the gymnasium to
set up a tennis court, which can be used for data acquisition in the indoor space. The comparison
between the outdoor field and the indoor field is illustrated in Fig. 1.
Researchers can track the precise movement trajectories of athletes and the landing positions
of tennis balls in dynamic real-world environments. This capability opens avenues for in-depth
spatial analysis, enabling investigations into factors such as shot accuracy, player positioning, and
the influence of court geometry on gameplay. This dataset contains two parts: 1. clips of players
hitting the ball, and 2. the landing position of the ball after the flight (the landing position of
each ball).

4. Clips Information

The dataset described in this article contains 472 clips of a tennis ball being swung. The
data is categorized into two types based on the field: Outdoor field and Indoor field. Within
4 K.G. Lai, H.-C. Huang and W.-T. Lin et al. / Data in Brief 54 (2024) 110438

Fig. 1. The comparison between the outdoor field and the indoor field is illustrated. (A) Outdoor field top view. (B)
Outdoor field side view. (C) Indoor field top view. (D) Indoor field side view.

these categories, there are two types of shots: Straight shot and Cross-court shot. Each data item
includes Top view clips and side view clips. Researchers can utilize various computer vision and
image processing algorithms to recognize and detect these different versions of the dataset. Clips
from 2 viewpoints to verify the landing position of a flying tennis ball, revealing the complex
dynamics of this fast-paced sport [15,16]. All clips were captured on the campus of the National
Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST) using a GoPro HERO 10 Black camera,
with support from sports research experts and graduate students. Aerial camera operations were
employed for top-view imaging. All clips have a resolution of 1080P, with dimensions of 1920
pixels width and 1080 pixels height, and a frame rate of 60 fps. The data collection process is
outlined in Table 1.

Table 1
Brief description about the data collection.

No. Particulars Description

1 Data type Outdoor field and Indoor field

2 Data categories Straight shot and Cross-court shot
3 Data item Top view clips and Side view clips
4 Data format Video file using H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec (.mp4)
Resolution: 1080P (1920 × 1080 pixels)
Frame Rate: 60 fps
5 Period and Date Outdoor field:March 1, 2023, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Indoor field:March 2, 2023, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
6 Participants The Students of NKUST Tennis Team
7 Location Outdoor field:Tennis Courts in NKUST
Indoor field:Stadiums in NKUST
Source: Author’s own organization
 K.G. Lai, H.-C. Huang and W.-T. Lin et al. / Data in Brief 54 (2024) 110438 5

5. Dataset Information

Because researchers collected data at outdoor field and indoor field, the dataset organized
to two main directories. Under these directories, both are divided into two subfolders by shot
type (straight shot and cross-court shot). Then, each ball includes two views, side-view and top
view, so splitting into two folders in these subfolders. The files in the dataset are named by
researchers, following a specific convention. Researchers extract the first letter of the parent
folders and assign sequential numbering. For instance, clips within the “Outdoor Field/Straight
Shot/Top-View” subfolder are denoted by OST followed by a numerical sequence (e.g., OST01,
OST02, ..., OST99). Folder structure is shown in Fig. 2.
The dataset contains 472 clips (both of side-view and top-view are 236 clips), and 4 records
files, and it on Mendeley Data shown in Fig. 3 (size on disk is about 12.42 GB (2,601,105,575
bytes)).

Fig. 2. Folder structure.

Fig. 3. Dataset files on Mendeley Data

6 K.G. Lai, H.-C. Huang and W.-T. Lin et al. / Data in Brief 54 (2024) 110438

Table 2
Data category description and capture techniques.

Categories Description

Straight shot Total 234 clips, including Outdoor field’s Top-view 18 clips, Side-view 18 clips; Indoor field’s
Top-view 99 clips, Side-view 99 clips.
Cross-court shot Total 238 clips, including Outdoor field’s Top-view 20 clips, Side-view 20 clips; Indoor field’s
Top-view 99 clips, Side-view 99 clips.
Source: Author’s own organization

Landing Position after Tennis Ball Flying, researchers record each ball’s real landing point
coordinates. These data are recorded in the CSV files, and the CSV files are under the root folder.
The file’s name indicates where the data is from: field categories and shot types. An essential
aspect of the image acquisition process is the need for actual coordinates. Throughout the data
collection process, we measure and record the real landing point’s coordinates of the ball each
time a participant hits it, using the distance of the closest doubles sideline and the distance of
the baseline to present (outside ball represent by negative number). These actual coordinates
are crucial for validating the projections. Data category description is provided in Table 2.

6. Experimental Design, Materials and Methods

The camera setup comprises two parts: top view and side view. For the top view, we posi-
tioned the camera directly behind the field, about 1.21 m from the bottom line, and at a height
of 5.15 m. For the side view, we set up on the right side of the field, about 2.45 m from the
sideline and about 2.40 m from the baseline, with the camera at a height of 1.27 m.
Setting up the top view for the Outdoor field proved more challenging, so we utilized an
aerial camera to assist in this part. This approach ensured the consistency of the data obtained
from both the outdoor field and the indoor field. The location of the camera setup is shown in
Fig. 4.
The landing position of the ball after the flight (the landing position of each ball) is men-
tioned in the data description. What we do in Outdoor field is to circle the landing position of
each ball, number each ball and finally measure and record the actual position. In Indoor field,
the landing position of each ball is not marked, so we put a label with a number on it every

Fig. 4. Location map of the camera setup in the experimental field. (A) Top view camera. (B) Side view camera.
 K.G. Lai, H.-C. Huang and W.-T. Lin et al. / Data in Brief 54 (2024) 110438 7

Fig. 5. Measurement and recording of data (A) Measurement and recording of the Outdoor Field (Inside the blue box
are the surveyor). (B) Measurement and recording of the Indoor field (Inside the blue box are the surveyor).

time the ball hits the ground, and then measure and record the actual position of the ball. The
measurement and recording of the data are shown in Fig. 5.

Limitations

The sources for this article are red clay tennis courts and indoor virtual tennis courts; there
are no other sources for material tennis courts. In the future, more tennis courts of different
materials will be planned to collect data and interpret tennis ball tracking information on a
larger scale.

Ethics Statement

Before the performance of the experiment, all participants involved in the clip recording pro-
vided some data related to physical status and habits of individual, and they read and signed an
informed consent form, conserved at Physical Education Office at “National Kaohsiung University
of Science and Technology” (the correspondent’s office).

Data Availability

Tennis Shot Side-View and Top-View Data Set for 3D Reconstruction and Player Analysis in
Tennis (Original data) (Mendeley Data).

CRediT Author Statement

Kalin Guanlun Lai: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Writing – original draft, Inves-
tigation; Hsu-Chun Huang: Validation, Writing – review & editing; Wei-Ting Lin: Supervision,
Validation, Writing – review & editing; Shang-Yi Lin: Validation, Writing – review & editing;
Kawuu Weicheng Lin: Validation, Writing – review & editing.
8 K.G. Lai, H.-C. Huang and W.-T. Lin et al. / Data in Brief 54 (2024) 110438

Acknowledgments

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commer-
cial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal rela-
tionships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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