Tennis players require a combination of calories from carbohydrates and proteins in their diet to facilitate recovery and muscle repair, in addition to healthy fats to support immunity function, as well as vitamins and minerals to promote overall wellness.
Carbs are the primary fuel used in tennis matches, though as long matches continue oxidation of fats can contribute to energy supply and provide energy-rich sources of energy. Therefore, it is recommended that some sources of fat be included in one’s diet in order to ensure adequate hydration as well as absorption of any necessary fat-soluble vitamins.
Carbohydrates
Carbs provide our bodies with energy, and adequate intake is key for peak performance. When carbohydrate stores become depleted during exercise, fatigue sets in and performance declines significantly; supplementation has been shown to delay fatigue during prolonged activity and increase performance (Bergstrom et al, 1987).
Simple carbohydrates (or simple sugars) and complex carbohydrates or starches (complex carbs or starches). Simple sugars are found in food such as fruit, soft drinks and candy and quickly absorbed by your blood stream to provide energy for energy use. Complex carbs found in breads, pasta, rice and similar products break down during digestion to form simple sugars which provide sustained energy releases compared to simple sugars which provide only short term energy releases. Complex carbohydrates should always be preferred over simple sugars for their more sustained energy release potential.
Consideration should also be given to the glycemic index when choosing carbohydrates as it indicates how quickly their absorption and conversion into energy occurs in your body. Foods with lower glycemic indices will release energy gradually into your blood stream thereby providing more stable energy sources while preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar.
Tennis players should consume a balanced diet consisting of carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats to maximize performance. When looking for carb-rich foods that are low in saturated fats, trans-fats and added sugars.
Carb consumption depends on both duration and intensity of training; when engaged in more rigorous exercises, your carb needs to assist fuelling and recovery may increase accordingly. Tennis players should also be mindful that excessive carb consumption could result in muscle glycogen depletion, leading to early fatigue during match play. So it is crucial that players use carbohydrates wisely and consult a qualified sports nutritionist to ensure optimal performance and recovery. Aiming for 30-60 grams per hour during training and match play would provide optimal performance results and recovery; suitable sources include sports drinks, fruits, low-fat yoghurt, whole grains and low-fat cereals as suitable sources of carbs.
Protein
Protein plays an essential role in improving performance and muscle repair, providing energy to both aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen) exercise while serving as building blocks of muscle cells to facilitate recovery from intense training or competition.
An athlete engaging in intermittent and endurance sports such as tennis requires a diet rich in proteins to recover quickly after training or matches and promote muscle growth and maintenance. Achieve this balance requires increasing protein consumption in their diet to optimize performance.
Consuming adequate levels of dietary protein is crucial to optimal hydration and energy levels in tennis players. Although dehydration may not be a huge concern during a match, intermittent nature means fluid and electrolyte losses occur more frequently due to sweat loss from playing, making drinking enough water and electrolyte-rich drinks essential.
Tennis hydration can be complex. As it requires both moderate and intense cardiovascular endurance as well as anaerobic bursts that require muscle power, this combination can result in sweat loss at rates as high as 1-2% of body mass; dehydration can negatively impact performance by diminishing muscle strength, coordination and reaction times as well as increase the risk of heat illness.
Hydration strategies for tennis should involve drinking plenty of water before, during, and after matches or training sessions. A post-match nutrition plan that contains carbohydrates and proteins to replenish glycogen stores and repair muscles should also be provided for.
A sports dietitian can create a customized nutrition plan tailored specifically to a tennis player’s individual needs and dietary restrictions. A dietitian may suggest pre-match and pre-training meals and snacks designed to increase energy levels before matches/training sessions start; trial hydration strategies during these activities; provide advice regarding hydratation during matches/training sessions, and post training/match recovery nutrition to support muscle repair and glycogen replenishment.
Tennis players need a diet rich in energy-dense carbohydrates (whole grains, beans, peas and fruit), lean proteins sources (e.g. lean steak), healthy fats such as olive oil nuts seeds and avocado, and enough calories in their diet in order to fuel their performance effectively. Consulting with a sports dietitian is also key when making sure this nutrition plan provides sufficient amounts of essential vitamins and minerals needed.
Healthy Fats
Dietary fat consumption is essential to tennis players for maintaining an adequate energy supply and uptake of essential fatty acids which play an integral role in producing hormones, cell membranes, and cell signalling pathways. Furthermore, healthy fats provide fuel during exercise if carbohydrate intake falls too low – these include avocados, whole-fat dairy products and fatty fish; saturated fats found in cakes, biscuits or crisps should be limited due to risk for arterial-clogging disease risk.
Like other high-intensity athletes, tennis players require a mix of carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats as fuel during training and match play. Glycogen stores must be kept high so players arrive at matches with enough fuel in their tanks; carbohydrate consumption should peak on training days while recovery/rest days may call for lower amounts to meet energy demands.
Tournament play can often last long enough that it leaves little time for full refueling with carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which could limit recovery between matches. Furthermore, it could be hard to assess if players have sufficiently replenished their muscle glycogen stores and fluid status.
Therefore, the significance of having an effective nutrition strategy for tennis players cannot be understated. A qualified sports nutritionist can assist in creating a tailored diet plan specifically designed to meet their requirements.
Sports nutritionists play an essential role in managing body composition and weight goals through caloric intake management and macronutrient distribution, while providing education on sustainable long-term eating habits to promote sustainable weight control. This may involve teaching players healthy eating patterns which can aid long-term weight management strategies.
Many professional tennis players have highlighted the role nutrition plays in their success, such as world No 1 female player Simona Halep who stressed eating nutrient-dense foods to aid her training, recovery and performance. Novak Djokovic has also advocated for a gluten-free and plant-based diet, which he credits with giving him increased energy and overall wellbeing.
Vitamins & Minerals
As players who participate regularly at high levels or compete in tournaments know, balancing macros, micros, vitamins and minerals for optimal health, performance and recovery is absolutely key. A typical 150 minute tennis match can burn between 1,100-1,700 calories so fueling for this effort with nutrient rich foods like those found in whole foods diet is essential to recovery from this intense effort. Vitamins and minerals play hundreds of vital functions within our bodies from supporting muscle function to healthy bones and immune system function; usually a well-planned diet provides all these functions; however dietary supplements may be necessary during periods of weight loss or intense competition.
Dehydration can have a dramatic impact on performance in tennis matches and training, with even as little as 5% dehydration leading to a 30% decline. Therefore, regular consumption of proteins, carbohydrates, fluids including electrolyte beverages is of vital importance in maintaining performance levels.
Research regarding tennis hydration is limited; however, one study investigating female collegiate standard tennis players found their protein intakes below recommended guidelines based on training volume and intensity. According to this research paper by Gropper et al (2003), increasing protein consumption could boost performance; however, this must also coincide with increasing carb consumption (Gropper et al 2003).
Athleticians on high-energy diets may need more electrolyte drinks than their lower energy diet counterparts in order to remain properly hydrated during matches and changeover breaks. These beverages should be consumed during matches as well as changeover breaks for maximum performance.
Although there is no evidence to prove supplements enhance sporting performance, eating a varied and nutrient dense diet is the best way to meet an athletes nutritional requirements. A multivitamin and mineral supplement as well as eating plenty of colourful food will help ensure an athlete receives all of their necessary vitamins and minerals that support optimal health and performance.