What Do Tennis Pros Eat?

Tennis stars need calories, and plenty of them, but their tastes are always changing

There’s a lot of talk about green bananas and pickle juice, sushi platters and plant-based meatballs, but what is the truth? How do players refuel during long days of practice and competition at Wimbledon?

The intel from the Competitors’ Restaurant reveals several startling facts.

First up, players really, really like their coffee. The number of espressos made each day by the baristas in the players’ coffee bar is matched only by the amount of chocolate milk that flies off the refrigerated shelves as the recovery drink of choice.

“Traditionally, it’s something nutritionists ask for, but it’s not any kind of special protein mix, or particular kind of milk, just chocolate milk,” said Perdita Sedov, Head of Food & Beverage at Wimbledon.

Over at the hot food counter, the team known as the Hot Plate Boys report that the staple favourite for carb-loading with a protein fix is a plate of grilled trout or chicken (two to three portions), a mound of rice and baked sweet potato, all doused in olive oil.

At a certain time of day, two members of staff stand by to refill the Grab and Go shelves with Haribos, Minstrels, KitKats, chocolate and protein bars. Carrot cake and muffins are 2023 winners – though it’s important to remember that 75 per cent of the people who use the Competitors’ Restaurant are members of players’ entourages and families.

On the banana front, 3.3 tonnes are consumed by players during the Fortnight. That’s about 30,000 pieces of fruit, but it’s a myth that they have to be a certain shade of greeny-yellow.

“Phil, in the men’s changing room, says the ideal shade depends on the player and on the time of day,” says Victoria Mann, Competitors’ Restaurant Manager.

Some players eat them for extra potassium, some simply for energy. But brown spots are definitely a no-no. These go into making the buzz new muffin described as ‘banana bread 2.0’.

“When bananas start to go brown, everyone makes banana bread and you throw away the peels. We use the peels, because they are very fibrous. We ferment them down, which is great for gut health – it puts good bacteria back into your system – and we use the peels as well as the flesh to make muffins,” Perdita says.

Players are creatures of habit and consider food as fuel. It’s got to be clean and lean, so they appreciate any opportunity to add slight variations to their nutritional regime. That could be as minor as asking for roast chicken instead of grilled.

Or appreciating the spicy Gochujang dressing on the poke bowls in the sushi cabinet. Sushi is made by a lead chef on-site, someone who has a special relationship with Andy Murray’s team. The Scot is known to love his sushi.

“An athlete’s diet is simple, so we try to provide theatrics in our service,” says Victoria. That is evident in the friendly banter (hello, Hot Plate Boys) or in the fun for players in designing their own pasta dishes or morning omelettes from a host of ingredients.

The menu evolves from year to year, taking on board players’ requests plus the Wimbledon chefs’ own ideas. There’s been more demand for hot plant-based protein options, resulting in some “very tasty” tempeh meatballs, while 50 per cent of milk used is now oat or coconut.

“The finalised menu is sent to the WTA and the ATP for approval, and they might then ask for a few tweaks,” says Perdita. “We remain flexible during The Championships. From breakfast to dinner, the chefs will make anything at any time if a player requests it.”

That extends to players on court. One member of the team acts as the eyes and ears so the staff are prepared for players coming straight in after their matches. And if a coach puts in an emergency protein-bar request for a player, that SOS fuel is delivered direct to the court. Talk about service!

By: SARAH EDWORTHY
Originally published at Wimbledon