Gratitude is extended to David Cabello and Adrian Lees for the invitation to contribute to the International Journal of Racket Sport Science, both in the capacity of associate editor and by offering editorial reflections for volume 6.

My recently completed doctoral thesis, titled Effectiveness of using portable technologies for monitoring performance and health indicators in tennis players, reflects my deep interest in and alignment with the journal’s focus on racket sports. Therefore, I reiterate my sincere appreciation to the entire editorial team for the opportunity to contribute my knowledge and experience to this Volume 6 of the journal, which is committed to publishing high-quality research in the field of racket sports, including tennis, badminton, and related disciplines. Its primary aim is to consolidate significant advancements and findings that will influence the development and future directions of racket sports science.

Specifically, the first issue of Volume 6 features a total of six articles: four focused on badminton (Sundström et al., Phomsoupha et al., Quirante Mañas et al. and Kumar et al.), one on tennis (Takeda et al.), and another on racket sports in general (Chia-Smith).

Among the articles dedicated to badminton, one examines shoulder pain in comparison with wrestlers, another explores the socio-educational impact and legacy of volunteering during the 2021 Badminton World Cup, the third analyses the deflection of different badminton rackets based on the type of stroke, and the fourth analyses the perceptual training in badminton. The tennis article analyses the relationship between the kinematics of the tennis serve and ball impact sound, post-impact ball speed, and spin. Finally, the last article in this issue analyses how the cumulative impact of mental injury and positive punishment affects junior players across various racket sports disciplines, including tennis, badminton, table tennis, and squash.

Therefore, once again, the International Journal of Racket Sports Science continues to provide research and scientific evidence with a direct impact on the technological and human progress of the key factors influencing performance, health, and context in racket sports.

In conclusion, it is a privilege to be part of such a prestigious publication, and I am honoured to contribute to the ongoing advancement of racket sports science. I look forward to the continued progress of this journal, as it remains a key platform for disseminating specific research with strong practical applications. From the editorial team of the journal, we encourage authors to submit their articles on any topic related to racket sports.