Tennis involves constant movement, frequent changes of direction and power. A tennis player must focus on proper daily nutrition needs to fuel the body for training and recovery --- and to know what to eat before a match to maximize performance. To get the most out of your diet, consider working with a professional who specializes in sports nutrition; consult your doctor before making any dramatic dietary changes.
Importance of Carbohydrates
If you play tennis, focus your diet on carbohydrates. The United States Tennis Association recommends carbohydrates comprise 55 to 65 percent of your caloric intake, with the majority coming from slow-burning complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads, rice, pasta and potatoes. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, too, to ensure you get a wide range of necessary vitamins and minerals.
Your body uses carbohydrates to create glycogen, your muscles' main form of energy. Following a low-carbohydrate diet, popular for weight loss, is not appropriate for tennis players or other athletes. The International Tennis Federation recommends tennis players eat 7 to 10 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of body weight. Intense physical activity depletes glycogen stores; to optimize muscle recovery, you should eat carbohydrate-rich foods within two hours of playing.
Proteins and Fats
Your body also needs adequate protein stores to build and repair muscle. You can find protein both in animal foods and in plant foods like soy, legumes, nuts, seeds, and even fruits and vegetables in small amounts. Insufficient protein intake is rare and eating too much will lead to excess fat storage; the ITF recommends you consume 1.2 to 1.4 g for every kilogram of body weight.
While your body needs fat for various functions, eating too much fat can hurt your games and practices. Fat tends to sit in the stomach longer, meaning it will probably not break down quickly enough to provide any sort of energy before a game or match and can create a heavy feeling in the stomach, --- both of which will affect your performance. Stick to healthy fats like those found in nuts, seeds, avocados, fatty fish and healthy cooking oils like olive and canola. Limit fried, greasy foods to a maximum of once a week, and fatty snacks to no more than one a day, recommends the ITF.
Importance of Sodium
The rapid movement of tennis results in a large amount of fluid loss through sweating. This process also results in a depletion of electrolytes, like sodium and potassium. The loss of sodium in particular leads to cramping. If you frequently suffer from cramping during matches or practice, you need to increase sodium intake. Consume sports drinks which contain electrolytes, vegetable juices and other juices high in sodium and snacks like salted pretzels.
Pre-Game
To ensure an optimal performance, load up your muscles with adequate glycogen stores so they can get through a match with plenty of energy and minimal muscle fatigue. In the two days before the match, eat large amounts of complex carbohydrates. The night before, stick to a meal rich in carbohydrates and lower in fat and protein. Do not skip breakfast on the day of your match; you need to boost your blood sugar. Eat a light carbohydrate-rich meal for breakfast. What else you eat before the match will depend on how much time you have, the USTA advises. If you have three to four hours, you can eat a regular meal, like a normal-sized turkey sub. If you only have one to two hours before, eat a smaller amount of food, such as a bagel with peanut butter or an energy bar with a piece of fruit. Regardless, all meals should be high-carbohydrate and low-fat.
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