What Do Tennis Players Eat in the Morning?

December 24, 2025 •

4 min read

Professional tennis players often require a morning meal packed with complex carbohydrates and lean protein to prepare for a grueling match or training session. What do tennis players eat in the morning is a carefully calculated decision, designed to provide sustained energy, aid muscle recovery, and ensure proper hydration from the very start of the day.

Quick Summary

Elite tennis players strategically consume balanced morning meals featuring complex carbs for sustained energy, lean protein for muscle repair, and healthy fats for endurance. Timing and hydration are also crucial for peak performance and preventing mid-match fatigue.

Key Points

Complex Carbohydrates: Whole-grain oats, sweet potatoes, and whole-wheat toast provide the sustained energy needed for long matches.
Lean Protein: Eggs, Greek yogurt, or protein powder aid in muscle repair and contribute to satiety.
Healthy Fats: Small amounts of avocado, nuts, and seeds offer slow-burning energy and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Strategic Timing: A main meal 2-3 hours before a match and a small, easily digestible snack 30-60 minutes prior optimize energy levels.
Prioritized Hydration: Regular fluid and electrolyte intake throughout the morning is essential to prevent dehydration and cramping.
Avoidance of High-Sugar Foods: Sugary cereals or drinks are avoided to prevent blood sugar spikes and energy crashes.
Nutrient-Dense Fruits: Berries and bananas are common additions for their potassium, fiber, and antioxidant content.

The morning meal is a crucial component of a tennis player's day, serving as the foundational fuel for their demanding athletic endeavors. Unlike a casual breakfast, every item is chosen for a specific purpose: to provide sustained energy, support muscle recovery, and ensure optimal hydration. This careful planning helps prevent mid-match energy crashes and fatigue, which are detrimental to performance.

The Macronutrient Strategy: Carbs, Protein, and Fats

The composition of a tennis player's breakfast is a science, focused on the three major macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. The ratio and timing of these nutrients can vary depending on the intensity and proximity of the player's match or training session.

Carbohydrates for Sustained Energy

For tennis players, complex carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel. The body converts these carbs into glucose, which is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. A tennis match can last for hours, and these glycogen stores are essential for maintaining endurance and avoiding fatigue. High-glycemic carbs are avoided in large quantities before a match to prevent sharp blood sugar spikes and subsequent crashes.

Common Sources of Complex Carbs:

Whole-grain oatmeal
Whole-grain toast
Sweet potatoes
Brown rice
Low-sugar breakfast cereals

Protein for Muscle Repair and Recovery

During intense training and matches, muscle fibers can experience micro-tears. Protein is the body's building material, essential for repairing and rebuilding this muscle tissue. While protein is more critical for post-match recovery, a moderate amount in the morning meal aids in satiety and muscle maintenance throughout the day.

Common Sources of Lean Protein:

Greek yogurt or cottage cheese
Eggs or egg whites
A scoop of whey or plant-based protein powder in a smoothie
Lean poultry or fish

Healthy Fats for Long-Term Fuel

Healthy fats provide a slow-burning source of energy, particularly for longer-duration matches. They are also crucial for reducing inflammation and supporting overall health. However, players must be careful not to consume too much fat before a match, as it slows digestion and could lead to stomach discomfort.

Common Sources of Healthy Fats:

Avocado
Nuts and seeds (almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds)
Nut butter (peanut, almond)
Olive oil

The Role of Timing and Hydration

Beyond what they eat, when tennis players eat is equally important. The pre-match meal is ideally consumed 2-3 hours before stepping on the court to allow for proper digestion. A smaller snack can be consumed closer to match time to top off energy stores. Staying hydrated is a non-negotiable aspect of a tennis player's morning routine. Adequate fluid intake throughout the day is critical to prevent dehydration, which can severely impact performance and cognitive function.

Comparison of Typical Breakfasts


Feature	Match Day Breakfast	Training Day Breakfast
Carbohydrate Type	Complex carbs for slow, steady release.	Complex carbs, with some consideration for higher-intensity workouts.
Protein Amount	Moderate, lean protein to aid satiety without slowing digestion.	Moderate to high protein to support muscle recovery from training.
Fat Content	Low to moderate healthy fats.	Moderate healthy fats for sustained energy.
Fluid Intake	Meticulous hydration with water and electrolytes leading up to the match.	Consistent hydration throughout the day.
Timing	A main meal 2-3 hours before, with an optional small snack 30-60 minutes prior.	Follows a regular morning schedule, can be more flexible.

Sample Tennis Player Breakfasts

Tennis players often tailor their breakfast to their specific needs and personal preferences, but there are common themes.

Oatmeal Bowl

This classic athlete's breakfast provides a steady release of energy. A typical bowl might include whole-grain oats, a scoop of protein powder, a handful of berries for antioxidants, and some nuts or seeds for healthy fats.

Greek Yogurt Parfait

Greek yogurt is an excellent source of protein, and a parfait with mixed berries, a sprinkle of granola (low-sugar), and some chia seeds offers a quick, nutritious, and easily digestible option.

Scrambled Eggs with Avocado Toast

For a more savory option, scrambled eggs with avocado on whole-grain toast provides a great balance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Adding some fresh spinach to the eggs boosts the vitamin content.

Conclusion: Fueling for a Champion

What do tennis players eat in the morning is far from a simple question; it's a strategic fueling plan. The ultimate goal is to consume a balanced, easily digestible meal of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats at the right time. By following a diet focused on performance and recovery, combined with meticulous hydration, tennis players set themselves up for success from the very first point of the day. This mindful approach to morning nutrition gives them the physical and mental edge needed to compete at the highest level.

For those interested in exploring this topic further, the ITF Tennis website offers extensive resources on athlete nutrition and meal planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tennis is a physically demanding, high-intensity sport that requires vast amounts of energy. Carbohydrates are the body's primary fuel source, and consuming complex carbs in the morning helps build up glycogen stores in the muscles and liver, providing sustained energy throughout a long match or training session.

Yes, while the core nutrients are similar, the timing and composition might differ. On a match day, the meal is often consumed 2-3 hours before the match and consists of easily digestible foods to prevent stomach upset. A training day breakfast might have more flexibility.

No, that's a misconception. While they avoid high-fat meals that can slow digestion right before a match, healthy fats from sources like avocado, nuts, and olive oil are incorporated. These fats provide sustained energy for long matches and offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

A protein smoothie is an excellent on-the-go option. It can be made with Greek yogurt or protein powder, frozen berries, a banana, and a tablespoon of nut butter or seeds for a balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fats.

Pasta is a source of complex carbohydrates, which provides sustained energy. Some players, like Roger Federer, have been known to eat a pre-match pasta meal a few hours before a match to ensure their glycogen stores are fully topped up for endurance.

Extremely important. Proper hydration begins in the morning. A player should drink plenty of fluids, including water and potentially an electrolyte drink, to address any dehydration from sleep and prepare for the fluid loss during a match.

Yes, they generally avoid large amounts of refined sugar, such as from sugary cereals or drinks, right before a match. These can cause a rapid spike and then a crash in blood sugar, leading to fatigue. Natural sugars from fruits are fine in moderation.