We’ve partnered with Healthspan, and nutritionist Rob Hobson – the co-author of Detox Kitchen Bible Cookbook and Cheats and Eats Lifestyle Programme – to give you a breakdown of how you should fuel up on competition day.

What you choose to eat is hugely important on match day particularly as the length of contests can vary from anywhere up to five hours depending on the number of sets played.

During competition players endure repeated burst of high intensity running which can challenge their stores of carbohydrate (glycogen), in turn impacting on performance capabilities.

This may become more of an issue to address if more than one game is played during a single day, or multiple games over several days, as the body needs time to recover and replenish energy stores.

During training it’s important for players to ensure they are getting enough energy and carbohydrates to fuel their workouts, optimise performance and replenish the body for subsequent sessions.

A periodised approach is used by sports nutritionists to meet the training demands of players which could mean increasing energy and carbohydrates during periods of heavy training and competition (as much as 3-5g carbohydrate per pound of body weight) while reducing these when training becomes less intense.

What to eat before competition?

Let’s assume your first match is in the morning (10am) then it’s important to get up early enough to manage eating around 2-3 hours before the start (this may be a little more for larger or more substantial meals such as lunch and dinner). Breakfast should be focused on carbohydrates and you should try to include foods that also help to hydrate. You may want to avoid too many high-fibre options opting for more easily digested carbohydrates.

Breakfast 7.30am

• Bircher muesli or porridge with fruit and chopped nuts
• English muffins topped with avocado cheese slices + fruit smoothie
• Breakfast cereal topped with sliced banana + fruit salad

If you’re playing in the afternoon or evening, then good lunch options may include:

• Pasta salad with veggies and chicken breast
• Chicken noodle soup served with bread rolls
• White flour wrap filled with tuna and salad
• Savoury rice served with jerk-spiced chicken and salad
• White pasta with Bolognese sauce and salad

Beyond breakfast it’s about topping up on carbohydrate snacks during the day to keep your energy levels and carbohydrate stores topped up, such as:

• Yoghurt with fruit
• Fruit salad topped with seeds
• Dried fruit and nuts mix
• Rice cakes topped with nut butter and sliced banana
• Fruit bread, malt loaf or buns

During the match (10am)

Refuelling is essential as glucose stores become quickly depleted especially during long games.  Be fully prepared for a longer contest or delay to the start of the match – so as not to be caught short, pack simple high carbohydrate snacks you can keep court side to make the most of breaks during the game or unexpected situations such as a late start or rain.

• Fruit (bananas good)
• Dried fruit
• Muesli bars
• White bread sandwiches with honey or jam

Some people prefer not to eat during the game as it can make them feel uncomfortable so in this case there are plenty of specialist sports foods and drinks such as gels, energy bars and energy drinks which are rapidly digested and supply a good source of carbohydrate (make sure you test these out before using them during a match as some may cause gastro-intestinal distress).

Post-match (1pm-3pm)

This is all about recovery and replenishing glycogen stores (glucose stored in the muscle and liver). If you are playing multiple matches across several days, then you may only have as little as 12 hours between your matches, so it’s important to make nutrition a priority as soon as you get off the court.

Focus on carbohydrates and some protein to help with muscle repair and development as well as ensuring rehydration with plenty of fluids and electrolytes. Don’t forget to include plenty of veggies as these contain essential micronutrients and antioxidants that help to support recovery and other areas of health such as immunity.

• Egg or tuna salad sandwich
• Flavoured milk plus a handful of nuts and dried fruit mix
• Chicken, avocado and salad white flour wrap
• White pasta salad with pesto and chicken breast
• Chicken curry/tagine/casserole served with white rice
• Homemade pitta pizzas served with salad

When it comes to performance and maintaining high intensity energy levels the carbs are king which is why they make up the lion’s share of what you will be eating during match day.

Ensuring you are suitably fuelled and hydrated during match day is essential to achieving performance success.

This feature was created in partnership with Healthspan, an official supporter of the LTA.

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