Tennis is an intense, high-intensity sport requiring short bursts of energy that necessitate regular hydration and carb intake to stay a competitive edge. Therefore, maintaining adequate levels of both is absolutely crucial to its success.
Carbohydrate supplementation during tennis matches improves performance and delays the onset of fatigue, replacing sweat losses and decreasing dehydration risk.
An Accredited Sports Dietitian can assess individual fueling and hydration needs, training intensity, dietary considerations and provide tailored recommendations to provide customized advice.
Carbohydrate
Carbs provide sustained energy and quick bursts of power for tennis players. Because tennis players must perform at high intensity over extended periods, which depletes muscle glycogen stores rapidly, it’s crucial that they consume an appropriate diet in order to arrive at training and match days with full energy reserves – an optimum performance diet is key!
Tennis player carb requirements depend upon both training volume and intensity, and should be tailored specifically to each individual. More intense training sessions require higher carb intakes while light training days with reduced work loads can require lower intakes.
Athletes should eat meals that are rich in nutrition, including complex carbs from whole grains, fruits and vegetables and moderate protein consumption for energy production and providing key vitamins like fibre, calcium, vitamin D and healthy fats. This will provide them with an adequate supply of energy as well as essential essential vitamins like B6.
Prior to tennis practice or matches, it is recommended that players consume a meal composed of approximately 70% carbohydrates and 30% quality proteins. This could take the form of breakfast cereal, porridge or for a more substantial pre-game meal many players opt for a sandwich with honey/jam/ham combination, high-carbohydrate energy bar or salad featuring chicken/tuna.
Before matches, players should consume a snack 2-3 hours in advance to ensure their bodies are sufficiently fuelled. Preferably this should consist of carbohydrate-rich food that’s low in fat and fiber to avoid delayed gastric emptying or stomach upset; alternatively trying liquid carb sources like fruit smoothies or booster juice might be worth exploring as options.
Tennis players should strive to maintain steady carb levels during matches by eating small snacks every 5-10 minutes or sipping on sports drinks regularly, and afterward they should eat a post-game meal that contains both carbohydrates and proteins in order to replenish muscle glycogen stores and stimulate muscle repair.
Protein
Tennis is a dynamic racket sport which demands sustained energy and short bursts of power, as well as both anaerobic and aerobic exercise. As such, it requires both carbohydrate and protein fuel – with protein being especially essential in supporting recovery after injuries; carbs being the main fuel used during tennis games; therefore incorporating whole grains, fruits vegetables legumes into one’s diet to fuel this sport is recommended to enhance performance during prolonged physical exertion of high intensity levels. Supplementation has been found to prolong performance by delaying fatigue while increasing performance during prolonged exercise – particularly when exercising intensely compared with one’s energy demands.
Eating a well-balanced meal 2-3 hours prior to tennis training or match play is vital for optimal performance. A meal such as this should consist of complex carbs like pasta, rice and bread as well as quality proteins from foods like eggs. A small amount of fat should also be included for slow release energy as well as to absorb other essential vitamins such as Vitamin C and potassium.
As part of a tennis match-play strategy, quick digesting carbs like fruit, muesli bars and sports drinks are recommended to fuel players during intense physical activity. Energy gels or powders may contain too many calories for players’ bodies and could result in stomach upset and dehydration.
As exercise intensifies and energy expenditure increases, our bodies transition away from using carbs as their main source of fuel and towards using more fat for energy production. Therefore, tennis players should aim to consume a variety of dietary fats through foods like poultry, fish, nuts & seeds, olive oil & avocados; along with plant-based sources like canola & soya oil.
Recovery nutrition after an intense tennis match often includes a protein-rich shake. These shakes can be designed to be both tasty and refreshing after an intensive workout and tailored specifically to each tennis player’s preferences. In addition to protein, tennis players should ensure they consume sufficient fluids and electrolytes in their recovery nutrition to compensate for sweat losses.
Fat
Fat is an integral component of the tennis diet, providing energy and supporting a healthy nervous system. Achieve an ideal balance between fatty acids and carbs is key for peak performance in this long-haul endurance sport requiring an optimal mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in its nutritional regimen.
An average tennis match can burn between 1,100-1.700 calories depending on how many sets are played. Protein provides both energy and growth-promoting properties for muscle repair and regeneration. Sources of healthy fat include nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil and fatty fish as healthy sources of dietary fats.
Carbs are the primary fuel used in tennis; however, as matches may last up to five hours and require energy provision from both fat oxidation and carb metabolism, both contribute significantly. A record breaking match at Wimbledon in 2010 burned 11 hours 5 minutes of carbs alone!
Ideal, players should consume a meal that includes complex carbs, palm-sized amounts of protein and healthy fats about 2-3 hours prior to their game in order to give their bodies enough time to process and utilize energy from food consumed during that period. If this is impossible, players should ensure they have available carbohydrate-rich snacks such as sports drinks, energy gels or bars, granola bars, fruit or rice cakes to consume quickly before game day.
Tennis players must consume adequate carbohydrates, protein and fat intake as well as staying properly hydrated throughout their training and in hotter environments. Drinking an array of water and electrolyte-rich beverages to maintain fluid levels throughout the day is particularly crucial.
Protein requirements for tennis players are often underestimated. Protein helps repair and build muscles after an intense training session or match, and plays an essential role in regulating metabolism and hormones. Athletes should strive to consume 1.6-2.0 g of protein per kg of their bodyweight through food sources such as lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts & seeds, tofu milk soya milk yoghurt.
Water
Water is an essential source of hydration during tennis matches and can help provide vitality during matches. Water also regulates body temperature and eases muscle cramping. Consuming an adequate amount prior to, during, and at each changeover may improve performance by preventing dehydration; research suggests consuming a beverage containing both electrolytes (CHO and water beverage) may provide even greater performance-boosting potential (Kovacs 2006).
Tennis athletes should utilize an individualized hydration strategy which involves drinking 200ml or more at each changeover of the game to replenish some of their hourly sweat loss, and prevent performance drops during hot matches when sweat rates decrease quickly and cause dehydration quickly. Hydration strategies especially need to take this into consideration to prevent performance reduction due to decreased sweat production rates that result in rapid dehydration.
Tennis, being an aerobic and anaerobic exercise, requires sustained energy as well as quick bursts of power. Carbs provide an ideal energy source, and should be consumed prior to playing as well as during matches – ideally from complex sources such as whole grains, fruit/vegetables/legumes.
An ideal pre-match meal should contain both carbohydrates and proteins for optimal performance, with lower amounts of fat and fiber to avoid any digestive discomfort during a tennis match.
As soon as a game ends, players should hydrate immediately with a carb-electrolyte beverage to replenish lost glycogen and fluids. A high-performance sports drink containing both glucose and fructose may be most readily absorbed than liquid carbs with just glucose content.
Consuming healthy sources of fat such as nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil is vital to both hydration and cognitive performance during tennis matches. Furthermore, these fats also reduce inflammation while aiding absorption of various fat-soluble vitamins.
