Tennis Nutrition
Proper nutrition for tennis players can mean the difference between winning or giving up the final point, game, or entire set. A well-nourished and hydrated body gives players an all-natural competitive edge, enabling them to play their best and focus on their game plan rather than succumb to fatigue. As a workout routine, a tennis match can be thought of as “a thousand little sprints,” as Bjorn Borg once described. Even after several hours, the player who can still run down the ball is usually the player who wins.
Malnourished players will eventually fall victim to fatigue—in their footwork, the timing of their strokes, the quality of their judgments—at which point the match is over. Even worse than losing the match is the fact that malnourished bodies take longer to recover after competitive tennis. Dehydration, headaches, muscle aches, stiffness, and insomnia are all common post-match conditions for malnourished players.
Overall Health
Tennis-specific nutrition starts with a well-balanced diet of carbohydrates (energy), healthy fats (slow-release energy) and proteins (muscle recover), vitamins, minerals, and water. No two people have the same nutritional needs, and certainly not all tennis players. Age, the environment, fitness and competition level, and the intensity of play during competition each effect what the body and mind need in order to perform in peak condition. A basic rule for all players is that if the diet is good for your overall health, then it’s good for your game. For many, receiving all of the necessary nutrients from their diet alone is inconsistent, if not impossible. Vitamin supplementation is a legitimate, if not necessary, remedy for undernourished diets.
Another way to start improving overall health is by cutting out food that’s bad for your body. Many unhealthy foods should be seriously restricted from every tennis player’s diet, if not eliminated entirely, especially processed foods. Certain ingredients to look out for include high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated fats, MSG, chemical additives and colorings.
Organic food in its simplest state is ideal.
Pre-Match Nutrition
Breakfast is critical for building strength, as muscles are depleted of all glycogen after the body fasts through the night. Tennis players need a steady supply of energy, which means they should eat smaller meals, and more of them. Large meals overload the digestive system, making players sluggish. An excess of undigested food usually results in the accumulation of fat. Not enough food, on the other hand, leads to hunger pains and fatigue.
Depending on the time of day, the following is a basic guide for pre-match nutrition:
3-4 hours before a match, eat a meal that’s high in carbs, moderate in protein, and low in fat. For example, a grilled chicken sandwich, a sports drink, fresh fruit, and some saltine crackers.
1-2 hours before a match, eat a snack in order to prevent mid-match hunger pains. For example, a banana, an energy bar, a sports drink, and water.
Water is the most essential nutrient on the planet, and for the body. Unfortunately, soda remains one of the most commonly consumed beverages. Both regular and diet sodas dehydrate the body, and both should be avoided. Caffeine in general dehydrates the body, causing a constant need to urinate, which can pose a serious difficulty in the middle of a match. Substituting soda with water or a sports drink (preferably containing 17 grams of carbohydrates and 8 ounces of electrolytes) will make a drastic difference in any player’s performance.
During a match, thirst should not be used as an indicator of hydration. Instead, players are better off consuming some of a sports drink every 15 minutes, and at every changeover, making sure to replenish water and electrolytes lost through sweat.
High Energy Foods
Healthy high energy foods help give the body the fuel it needs last for hours on the court. Some examples include almonds, trail mix, oats, bran muffins, hard-boiled eggs, spinach, apples, yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, pumpkin seeds, peanut butter, and sweet potatoes.
Post-Match Nutrition
After a tennis match, the body needs to recover, and that means replenishing the nutrients used up during the match, particularly water, carbs, and electrolytes. Within 30 minutes of a match, the replenishment of nutrients should be underway. Start drinking a sports drink before walking off the court. Within two hours, eat a high-carb meal with a lean source of protein and a natural sodium source. This will help to speed up muscle recovery. For example, 2-3 cups of steamed rice with chicken and vegetables stir-fry, washed down with 2-3 cups of a sports drink.
