A proper diet ensures not only physical health but also a good mental and psychological balance. If this is true for anyone living a more or less sedentary life, it’s even more crucial for athletes. Nutrition plays a fundamental role in optimizing physical performance, especially in a sport like tennis that demands a significant amount of energy (tennis burns approximately 9.1 kcal/kg/min), more oxygen for your muscles, and increased waste production.

For this reason, it’s always a good idea to seek advice from nutrition experts to achieve your specific goals. However, here are some general guidelines on proper nutrition for tennis players, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned competitor.

Key Principles of Nutrition for Tennis Players

The diet should be varied, ensuring the intake of all essential nutrients, and balanced to suit the type of sport being played. It’s also important to avoid following trendy diets that may be too restrictive or unbalanced.

Important Nutritional Rules:

  • Eat at regular intervals: It’s better to have multiple meals throughout the day rather than one large meal. Ideally, you should have five meals: breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, and dinner.

  • Breakfast: Don’t just settle for coffee. Have a proper breakfast at least two hours before training, including coffee, tea, milk, barley, or fresh juice, along with cereals, bread, or whole-wheat toast with jam or honey, and seasonal fruit. For those who prefer a savory breakfast, a small sandwich with lean ham is a good option.

  • Snacks and Afternoon Breaks: Opt for yogurt, fruit, or a light sandwich. It’s better to avoid foods high in sugar to prevent blood sugar spikes.

  • Lunch and Dinner: These meals should include vegetables (raw or cooked), carbohydrates like pasta, and proteins such as lean meat, cheese, fish, or legumes. Use extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, or lemon as dressings.

  • Timing: Main meals should be eaten at least three hours before physical activity to allow for proper digestion.

  • Evening Meals: Avoid eating too late or having a heavy meal at night. Make sure you allow a reasonable amount of time before going to bed, especially after a late workout, to avoid overburdening your body as it recovers from exercise.

Smart Eating for Athletes 🥗

While there are no forbidden foods for athletes, it’s best to limit fried foods, fatty condiments, and processed meats, except for lean options like bresaola and lean prosciutto. A diet heavy in fatty meats, cold cuts, eggs, and butter can not only harm your health but also reduce your athletic performance. Instead, focus on simple, easily digestible foods, and the Mediterranean diet is an excellent example of this.

One crucial element for athletes is hydration. Those who train regularly and intensely should drink about 50 ml/kg of water per day. It’s important to stay hydrated during exercise by sipping small amounts of water at regular intervals, especially when training in unfavorable conditions such as high heat or humidity.

Avoid drinks that are too sugary; instead, dissolve a teaspoon of fructose in water or drink fresh fruit juices or smoothies.

To replenish minerals, a balanced and varied diet is usually enough. The use of supplements should be based on actual, demonstrated needs.

Trust Your Body’s Signals 🧘‍♂️

Lastly, always trust your body’s signals. Everyone reacts differently to the same foods, so listen to how your body responds to different meals and adjust accordingly. A solid understanding of nutrition is essential for ensuring that tennis—and any other sport—becomes a source of well-being for the athlete.