How to hydrate for tennis

We all know we must drink fluids while exercising and when it is hot, but what sort of fluids and how much is enough?

Many experienced tennis players continue to have hydration problems. They might feel a little “off” and not quite playing their best to having painful cramps or heat exhaustion. You often see players at the Australian Open suffer cramps or heat exhaustion because it is a dry heat in Melbourne during January.

The three factors in fluids for a player to stay fit on and off court are

Water, electrolytes, and carbohydrates.

Hydration tips before players hit the court:

Avoid caffeinated beverages (iced teas, coffee, colas) especially right before and after match play. These may cause additional fluid loss as urine.
The night before, fill and chill squeeze bottles or sports jugs and bring to each practice or match. Each player should have a minimum of 2 litres available courtside.
Consume enough fluids throughout the day so urine is a light or pale yellow color before starting a match.
Drink 17 to 20 oz of fluid within 2 hours pre-match.
Factors to be aware of:
• Many players begin play dehydrated.
• On-court sweat losses can be extensive – 1-2.5 litres (~35-88 ounces) per hour is typical.
• Any water deficit can have a negative effect on a player’s performance and well being. The effects of a progressive water deficit due to inadequate fluid intake and/or excessive sweat losses include
• Increased cardiovascular strain – your heart has to work harder.
• Decreased capacity for temperature regulation – you heat up more.
• Decreased strength, endurance, and mental capacity – your intensity is lower, you tend to lose control, and you make inappropriate shot selections.
• Increased rate of carbohydrate metabolism – you fatigue faster.
• Many players do not adequately rehydrate after play.

Fluid Needs During Play

Thirst is not a good indicator of hydration level. Adequate fluid consumption is a player’s best bet for beating dehydration and heat illness. To keep tennis players performing at their best, encourage fluid consumption every 15 minutes and especially at changeovers.
Players should consume 5-10 oz. of fluid (sports drinks containing 14g/8oz carbohydrate and electrolytes are ideal) every 15-20 minutes for optimal hydration and performance.
Favour sports drinks to enhance rehydration. Sports drinks contain carbohydrate and electrolytes, like sodium. Consuming carbohydrate during play has been shown to help players maintain more power and accuracy with serving and groundstrokes in long-match play. Gatorade contains 14 g carbohydrate per 8 oz, which is quickly absorbed and used by working muscles. Sodium replacement is also important since a significant amount of sodium can be lost through sweat during long tennis matches.

Electrolytes
• When you play in a hot environment (or any time you sweat a lot), add some salt to your diet (or eat certain high-salt foods) before and after you play. Good sodium and chloride sources include
• salt: ¼ teaspoon (or 1.5 grams) has 590 mg of sodium
• salted pretzels
• many types of soups
• cheese
• salted sport drinks (or Pedialyte)
• tomato sauce (pizza!)
• tomato juice

Carbohydrates
What you should do:
• Generally, 7-10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight (~500-700 grams per day for a 155-lb player) is recommended for periods of intense training or competition.
• During play, 30-60 grams per hour is most effective. Choose a sport drink whose primary carbohydrate is sucrose, glucose, or a glucose polymer (e.g., maltodextrin).