The Optimal Tennis Diet
If I had to build the optimal tennis diet for a competing pro, this is what I recommend. (Keep in mind this is assuming that high costs are OK)
Groundwork
- Calculate the macronutrient requirements of the player. This is, protein, carbohydrate and fat intake (which can change day to day and week to week but will mostly revolve around a range).
- Determine which foods the player enjoys and can regularly consume. Most players enjoy some form of pasta, starchy carbohydrate or certain meats…this can be cultural and dependent on many factors…the good thing is we are not limited in our food choices. In 2026, we have a lot of options so we can hit our nutrition goals whilst not hating what we eat!
- Understand the player schedule. A long day of travel requires a different approach to a typical day at home, where a player may be moving more and being more active. On these days, what you eat needs to change. This might not seem important, but making the right decisions on a daily basis adds up in a big way later on.
- Understand the player's goals. Does the coaching team want more strength, or perhaps to do a body recomposition in the off season. The good news is that using the right system, these changes can be imperceptible to the player but over a few weeks to months, make a huge difference.
- Really, truly, understand what works for the player. People are not robots. Ask why repeatedly until you get to the root cause of why a player wants to implement this program. If you both understand what you're working towards, things are easier.
Example program
Here is an example case study based on a player.
Complaint: Player felt like they lacked endurance.
In order to support their coach's cardiovascular training program, we implemented a number of changes:
- Altered carbohydrate timing (easy)
- Addition of certain supplements to support recovery and sleep
- Addition of nitrates in the diet in the form of beetroot
- Started supplements including ashwagandha (VO2 Max + Optimal Testosterone Profile), Specific Plant Extracts + More
The result: Endurance on the court skyrocketed…and ranking as well.
With supplements, we can pull many levers that affect sleep, recovery and strength. These factors ultimately make a difference to whether a player walks off the court a winner or not.
Long-term thinking
By setting up the right systems, we're helping a player reach their potential but also building the optimal habits that lead to ongoing success. Want to simplify the process? Work with us.
Process over all.
Injury risk is affected by many factors, sleep, omega-3 index, joint integrity, vitamin d status, bone density, supercompensation status…we think about these things to give a player the best chances of success.