Do service first and match outcome modify the experience of flow-clutch in table tennis and virtual reality table tennis? A four waves three-points competition

The study aimed to examine the differences in flow-clutch states depending on serving first and the match outcome in table tennis and virtual reality table tennis. A total of 57 table tennis players (5 girls; M=29.92, SD=14.47) participated in the study. Of these, 39 took part in a real table tennis three-point tournament, while 18 competed in a virtual reality (VR) table tennis three-point tournament. Results of the Wilcoxon test with the whole sample (VR and Reality) revealed that there were significant differences between servers and receivers in the characteristics of flow (“i.e., I felt like I could control what I was doing”) and the factor overlapping characteristics of flow-clutch (“i.e., I was fully absorbed in the activity”), in both factors receivers revealed higher levels than servers, in the whole sample and the real table tennis tournament. Concerning the match outcome, results revealed differences in: characteristics of flow, characteristics of clutch (“i.e., I was analysing the demands of the situation”) and overlapping characteristics of flow-clutch, in all cases winners revealed higher levels of all those factors in all sample, virtual reality and real table tennis. In conclusion, it seems that receiving first could be a strategy to enhance flow-clutch variables, such as “characteristics of flow“ and the “overlapping characteristics“. On the other hand, winning could enhance the flow-clutch variables “characteristics of flow“ and the “characteristics of clutch”. Therefore, it seems that there could be a difference in the experience of flow-clutch depending on serving and receiving or the match outcome.