Nutrition
for
Professional
Tennis
Athletes
by Dr. Chantal Charo
A game of tennis is considered by short periods of high intensity efforts combined with variable
periods of recovery. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has established maximum rest
times of 20 seconds between points, 90 seconds between changeovers and 120 seconds
between sets. Matches can last upwards of three hours for women and four to five hours for
men therefore making the game is highly reliant on anaerobic energy systems, although a
developed aerobic capacity is an advantage in terms of recovery between points, stamina and
tolerance to heat. Tennis players normally lose 500 to 1500 of calories after every match.
Therefore, nutrition for tennis players can become more than a little perplexing. Dietary
strategies should be personalized for each player based on factors as a player’s age, gender,
fitness, competition type , intensity of the game, how much the player sweats, time of
competition, duration of play, amount of time between matches, as well as many others. A
tennis diet can contribute to a player’s capacity to reach peak performance. The players’ gender
and age will be first taken into consideration as their energy requirements will be different.
Furthermore, tennis nutrition is divided into on and off season, then, into pre, during and post
game nutrition. Every tennis player requires a diet to accommodate the nature of the game,
which requires endurance, agility, speed and power. First and foremost, high energy storage are
needed to accomplish all these requirements , which is why monitoring the player’s
carbohydrate intake is crucial. Every player needs protein to build up muscles and essential
vitamins and minerals. For every tennis player to win tennis matches and tournaments, they
must maintain proper diet not only during tournaments (diet before, during and after matches)
but during tennis trainings as well. This is because an optimal tennis diet is built over time. A
tennis diet must be focused on high carbohydrate energy foods and adequate hydration. Tennis
diet should also be timed appropriately especially during tournaments. A balanced tennis diet is
a diet that contains all the necessary components responsible for a healthy body. These
components are: carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, minerals and vitamins, and water or
fluids. It is also ideal to eat fresh food rather than the readymade and processed food. Below
are some guides on how to follow a balanced and healthy tennis players diet.
During on season, there are three key stages a tennis player should prepare for with their sports
nutritionist. The players diet is divided into pre, during and post game nutrition. As well as
whether the player is performing singles or doubles game.
Pre game nutrition
The nutrient state of a tennis player just before playing or training can have a significant impact
on the outcome of a match or the quality of a practice session. Appropriate fat, protein, mineral,
and vitamin intake are all important, but the primary pre-match nutritional concerns for all
players are adequate carbohydrate and fluid intake which will have the biggest and immediate
impact on performance.
Before a tennis match begins, the body’s carbohydrate stores should be full to avoid early
muscle fatigue. To guarantee this, the emphasis on consuming pre-match complex
carbohydrates like pasta, oats and rices must to begin at least 24 hours prior to the game. The
focus should be on carbohydrate intake over several days before the start of an event, and at
the same time decrease overall training session duration. This can better optimize the body’s
internal carbohydrate stores and fluid electrolyte balance before beginning a match. Ideally,
players should try to eat a moderate-sized meal that contains 2.0-2.5 grams of carbohydrate per
pound of body weight approximately 3-4 hours before the match (310-390 grams of
carbohydrate for a 155 pound player).Energy stores are most effectively replenished if the
player can consume a high-carbohydrate meal within the first 2 hours after a match. The longer
the player waits to eat, the longer it will take to replenish their body’s energy stores. Ideally,
players should try to eat a moderate-sized meal that contains 2.0-2.5 grams of carbohydrate per
pound of body weight approximately 3-4 hours before the match (310-390 grams of
carbohydrate for a 155 pound player).Research suggests that a carbohydrate and protein
combination might be better than just carbohydrate for rapid carbohydrate refill and muscle
recovery. Otherwise, certain combinations of breads, cereals, and dairy products, for example,
can provide similar ratios of carbohydrate and protein. The player should avoid foods that are
high in fiber or high in fat, which could cause gastro intestinal disturbances. If play begins 3 to 4
hours after the pre-match meal, players should eat an additional small (1-1.4 grams of
carbohydrate per kg of body weight), quickly digestible carbohydrate snack about 1-1.5 hours
before the start of the matchExamples of pre-match meals and snacks high with carbohydrates
that have a high glycemic index, are pasta, bread, fresh fruit, granola bars, energy bars and
sports drinks.
Pre game fluid intake is very important as well. Beginning at least the night before, the player
should consumed an adequate amount of fluids –water, juice, milk, and sport drinks are good
options. In an effort to stay hydrated, some players drink too much fluid. In some cases, rapid or
regular consumption of too much no- or low-sodium fluid (e.g., water) can reduce the sodium
concentration the blood (hyponatremia). If the player is anticipated to sweat a lot during play
(e.g., > 2 liters per hour), it may be impossible to avoid a progressive fluid deficit and increased
salt intake (via food and fluid) should be considered. However, most older adolescents and
adults can comfortably drink up ~1.4 liters per hour, which can match sweating rates (and thus
prevent significant fluid deficits) for most people. Again, if a player is prone to heat cramps, a
little salt can be added to their on-court sport drink (about ¼ tsp).
The player should limit/avoid caffeinated beverages (iced teas, coffee, colas) especially right
before and after match play. These may cause additional fluid loss as urine, and increase need
to urinate during the match. Each player should have a minimum of 2 liters of fluids available
courtside. The player should consume enough fluids throughout the day so urine is a light or
pale yellow color before starting a match. When a player drinks more than 1 liter (35 ounces)
during each hour of play, it is often better to drink a sport drink and plain water at each
changeover (usually with an emphasis on the sport drink). Drinking just a sport drink (even if the
carbohydrate content is in the 5% to 7% range) in large volumes (e.g., 1.5-2.0 liters/hour) might
not be well tolerated, because too much carbohydrate could be ingested. Ingesting a high
amount of fructose (via a sport drink or solid food) could also cause gastrointestinal distress,
since fructose is absorbed more slowly than other carbohydrates in sport drinks like glucose,
sucrose, and glucose polymers. Again, for a quick energy “boost”, a small, easily digestible,
high-glycemic index snack (e.g., crackers, a plain bagel, raisins, jelly beans, etc.) can be very
effective during competition or practice.
Fat is responsible for the slowing down of the carbohydrates absorption of the body. This means
that the fat component help in prolonging the energy supply of the body, therefore an
appropriate amount of fat should be consumed. Too much or too little fat intake has its own
disadvantages. Appropriate fat consumption is at least 15% of the dietary calories consumed.
Examples of good source of fats are such almonds, natural peanut butter, high fat milk, olive oil,
fatty fish (e.g. salmon), and whole eggs. Very low fat intake will interfere with the body’s ability
to absorb enough fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin E which plays a vital role as antioxidants.
Low fat diet restriction compromised the players performance since fat is responsible for the
prolonged supply of body energy, very low fat intake can also decrease the player’s endurance
and performance.
Example of pre game nutrition:
LUNCH (3-4 hours prior to game)
Carbohydrate coupled with proteins example grilled chicken sandwich or rice and fish
Saltine crackers
Banana
1 cup of skim milk
Gatorade
PRE-GAME SNACK (1-2 hours prior to game)
Fruit yogurt or banana
1 cup of water
Energy bar
Gatorade drink
During Play
The availability of fluids filled with electrolytes and carbohydrates are very important during play.
A thirsty playe is a bad marker of hydration level. Adequate fluid consumption is a player’s best
bet for beating dehydration and heat illness. For optimal performance, a player should consume
fluids every 15 minutes and especially at changeovers. Players should consume sports drinks
containing 17g/8oz carbohydrates and electrolytes are ideal every 15-20 minutes which will
improve perfomance.
Sports drinks contain carbohydrates and electrolytes, like sodium, and are therefore the best
option for during play nutrition. Research shows that consuming carbohydrates during play
improves the player’s power and accuracy with serving and groundstrokes in long-match play.
Commercially available sports drinks such as Gatorade, contains 17 grams of carbohydrates
per 8 ounces, which are quickly absorbed and readily available for muscle use. Sodium
replacement also is important since a significant amount of sodium can be lost through sweat
during long tennis matches.
Post play nutrition
Immediately after a game, a tennis player should focus on restoring fluids, electrolytes, and
carbohydrates. If the next match is scheduled to begin within 1 to 2 hours, the player must
rehydrate and start consuming about 50-100 grams of carbohydrate immediately. The longer
the player waits to eat, the longer it will take to replenish the body’s energy stores, which
negatively affects performance. Energy stores are most effectively replenished if the player can
consume a high-carbohydrate meal within the first 2 hours after a match, to maximize muscle
glycogen recovery and to support protein synthesis in muscle. Some great choices for post play
are carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index such as, sport drinks, along with sport bars,
gels, bagels, crackers, cereals, and jam/jelly). Again, a meal rich in carbohydrates and proteins
is better than just carbohydrate for rapid carbohydrate replenishment and total muscle recovery.
The player could consume a commercially available meal replacement shake with proper
carbohydrate to protein ratio. If a second match of the day begins 4 to 5 hours or more after the
completion of the first game, the player would follow the pre-game meal preparation. Immediate
ingestion of 50-100 grams of carbohydrate, after play, and repeated every two hours, is as
effective as well for replenishing the players’ carbohydrate stores. The more time a player has to
eat between games, the more flexible the diet is. Importantly, any remaining fluid deficit should
be replaced by about 150% of that deficit. For example, if the player weighs 1kg less after
playing, the consumption of fluid should increase accordingly other nutrients (especially
carbohydrates and sodium).
Example of post-game meal:
2-3 cups of pasta with tomato sauce (light in meat and fat content)
2-3 slices of garlic bread
Salad with low fat dressing
2-3 cups of Powerade or skim chocolate milk or energy drink
OR
2-3 cups of steamed rice with vegetables and salmon
2-3 cups of Powerade or low fat milk or energy drink
Calories needs of players
Singles tennis provides more of a calorie-burning workout than doubles. According to Diet and
Fitness Today, the average calories burned per minutes are 5 to 11 for singles which calculates
to be 689 calories for males and 591 for females. For doubles, the player will burn about 3 to 8
calories so, in an hour of doubles tennis, males burn on average 517 calories, while females
burn 445 calories. Singles is more demanding because it involves more running, longer rallies
and more side-to-side movement, therefore, the caloric needs of singles players are higher.
According to the calories burned by the player, the sports nutritionist would adjust their calories
intake and consequently increase of decrease the content of each macronutrient. When you
play singles, you. Overall players burn 6 (for women) to 14 (for men) calories per minute. The
International Tennis Federation recommends that most players consume at least 2,500 calories
a day. Some players may need over 3,000 calories, and professionals should take in from 3,500
to 5,000 calories.
Additonal supplements
The following supplements should be taken on a regular basis to maintain good joint strength
and flexibility and good bone density to prevent osteoporosis and similar conditions.
Multivitamins: Taking a tablet daily allows to correct for any nutritional deficiencies the athletic
could suffer from due to erratic schedules and high performance demands.
Calcium: Calcium deficiencies, specially in women can contribute to stress fractures and longer
recovery times if injured. Sources: milk, yogurt, cheese, calcium fortified juices and cereals, soy
products, and calcium supplements.
Iron: Essential for oxygen transport from lungs to working muscles. Low iron can lead to low
energy and endurance. Sources: lean red meats, dark meat of chicken or turkey, fortified breads
and cereals, beans and peas (dried).
Sodium, Potassium: These nutrients are important for re-hydration. When you are playing tennis
in high temperatures, they must use a sports drink for rehydration and recovery.
These nutrients keep the player’s immune system strong and help to avoid injuries. By using a
good recovery strategy and providing the body with the nutrients needed for healthy joints,
tendons and muscles injuries can be prevented and the recovery of injuries can be accelerated.
This applies to both men and women, and tennis players of all ages.As tennis players play
under intense heat and prolonged match situations, it is important to keep them well
conditioned, fed and hydrated. When these guidelines are followed, players will serve up a
powerful match to any opponent.