Tennis requires exceptional physical skill, coordination and energy from its athletes. A comprehensive nutrition strategy should support training, competition and recovery processes.
This study seeks to investigate the nutritional habits of junior tennis players prior and during competitive match play, in order to inform future strategies aimed at optimizing performance in this particular sport.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are our primary energy source. Found in various foods, carbohydrates provide four calories per gram of food consumed and can be broken down further into simple or complex carbs depending on its structure; once digested and converted into fuel for the body.
Well-studied data indicates that increased carb intake leads to increased muscle glycogen stores and, consequently, promotes optimal performance during endurance-type activities such as sports. Conversely, low-carb diets can deplete glycogen stores quickly leading to fatigue and poor performance over long matches.
Professional tennis players must ensure that they are adequately fueled and hydrated prior to each match, but due to tournament matches often lasting an unpredictable length it is sometimes hard to predict how long pre-match meal routines must be maintained or be disrupted, leaving players either undernourished or hungry at the start of a match. Furthermore delays or early exit from a match could prevent players from getting their post-match recovery meals thus disrupting fuelling and hydration efforts.
Vergauwen et al.’s 1998 study demonstrated the value of carb refuelling during and after exercise with 13 highly trained male tennis players completing three trials; placebo, carbohydrate, and carbohydrate plus caffeine treatments in a double-blind crossover design trial involving Leuven Tennis Performance Test scores as well as 70m shuttle run performance before and after simulating two hour match simulation. After two hours had elapsed the placebo trial saw stroke quality and 70m shuttle run performance both decrease, while when receiving either carbohydrate treatments they both improved.
Tennis players should aim to consume 0.7 g of carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight within 30 minutes after training, followed by repeat doses every two hours for four hours following. Furthermore, it’s advised that they keep their endogenous glycogen stores between 50-60% of full capacity during training for optimal recovery, fatigue avoidance and optimal performance.
Protein
At tennis tournaments and hot weather conditions, sweat rates can quickly become high enough to deplete vital water and electrolytes from your body, leaving it dehydrated and depleted of essential fluids and electrolytes that your body requires for performance and recovery. Replenish depleted stores by sipping on water or drinking sports beverages rich in sodium and potassium such as Gatorade; or eating foods high in these electrolytes such as nuts or some vegetables.
Prior to playing a match, players typically consume carb-rich meals and snacks to fuel their bodies for the game ahead. This might include sandwiches, yoghurt with fruit, rice cakes, energy bars or bananas depending on whether their match starts early morning, afternoon or evening.
During the match, many strategies employed by players to assist with recovery were determined primarily by advice provided by their coach and/or peers rather than scientific evidence. Examples include foam rollers which have been shown to reduce muscle soreness; consumption of protein shakes which enhance muscle repair while stimulating glycogen synthesis post exercise [2].
After an intense match, it is critical that players eat protein-rich foods, such as eggs, chicken salad sandwich or yoghurt with fruit, to help support muscle repair and recovery. Athletes may also opt for carb-rich meals such as spaghetti bolognese or vegetable soup in order to replenish glycogen stores.
Post-match, it is vital that players replenish their bodies’ fluid and electrolyte stores through drinking enough water and electrolytes. Making water easily accessible, and sipping on when thirst strikes are both good ways of staying hydrated without overdosing on water intake.
After every match, players need to ensure they consume adequate protein in order to aid muscle repair and prevent fatigue; it’s an essential nutrient for muscle growth. Protein sources should be spread throughout the day and include lean meats, fish, poultry, dairy products and some plant-based proteins (e.g. soya). An Accredited Sports Dietitian can offer guidance with their nutritional choices tailored specifically to individual needs and training goals.
Fats
Tennis is an energetic sport where participants must balance energy intake with keeping in peak physical condition throughout the year. In order to optimize performance in this arena, an extensive nutrition strategy must be put in place, comprising intense training nutrition as well as recovery and adaptation needs. Dietary fat intake must be increased significantly during preparation phase in order to meet energy demands from training and match play. Consumptions should then be reduced in order to reach peak performance for their key event. Protein is essential to sustaining muscle mass and producing energy-fuelling metabolites for exercise, so its inclusion in diet should aim at optimizing both its synthesis and breakdown (Tipton & Wolfe 2004). Diets that increase intake above 1.7 grams*kg BW-1 might provide extra benefits (Tipton and Wolfe 2004).
Carbs are essential fuel source for tennis players as it forms the backbone of peak performance. Carbs account for over 50% of total ATP production during prolonged exercise and so elite-standard players should consume 6-10g*kg-1 of carbohydrates daily to ensure adequate glycogen stores for tournament play.
Tennis matches often result in sweat rates reaching high sweat rates and water loss that must be replenished to avoid dehydration, which can negatively impact performance in terms of motor skill and decision making. Maintaining adequate hydration levels by sipping fluids regularly – pale yellow urine being an indicator that all is well with regards to adequate hydration status – should help with replenishing losses.
Players must also drink enough fluids during matches in order to prevent gastrointestinal discomfort and nausea, which may be worsened by heat waves which increase core temperature and heart rate. Dehydration can occur, which decreases players’ ability to use carbohydrates as fuel while simultaneously increasing cardiovascular strain, decreasing glycogen storage space usage and altering metabolic and central nervous system functioning.
Pre and post match recovery meals should be carefully planned to maximise performance, providing carbohydrates, proteins and fluids to replenish glycogen stores and metabolites while providing essential nutrients for repair and recovery.
Vitamins & Minerals
Athletes may be tempted to fuel up on carbs, protein and fat during competition, but consuming nutrient-rich whole foods provides essential vitamins and minerals necessary for basic bodily functions like supporting bones, healing wounds, turning food into energy and repairing cell damage. Leafy greens, berries and nuts provide valuable sources of essential vitamins and minerals needed for peak athletic performance.
Top tennis players eat to fuel both their physical and mental game. This involves eating a balanced mix of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, vitamins and minerals as well as anti-inflammatory foods like berries, turmeric, ginger and green tea in order to accelerate recovery from injuries.
Tennis requires significant energy expenditure. At lower intensities, carbohydrates and fats are both utilized as sources of fuel; as activity intensity increases, however, carbohydrates become the dominant form. Breakdown rates for carbs are much faster than for fats resulting in fatigued bodies which compromise performance significantly if glucose stores become depleted quickly during high intensity exertion matches; to combat this situation and preserve performance by providing rapid energy sources CHO-electrolyte solids or beverages prior to competition may help counter this effect by providing quick energy sources instantly upon depleting glucose stores through depletion by providing rapid sources of energy from sources other than carbs or fats.
Tennis players lose fluids and electrolytes through sweat while engaging in intense physical exertion, necessitating replenishing these lost nutrients to avoid cramping and improve performance. Athletes may consume water or sports drinks or both for proper hydration during match play.
Prior to playing their match, tennis players often consume a beverage containing electrolytes and carbohydrates as a pre-match snack, which has proven effective at improving performance by decreasing time to fatigue.
Addition of creatine to pre-match meals can increase muscle strength and power while lowering lactic acid accumulation during matches, as well as aiding muscle repair and recovery. A serving of protein may also help speed recovery post match, while post match antioxidant supplements may help protect against delayed onset muscle soreness by supporting body’s efforts in repairing damaged muscle fibers.