Nutrition for racket and precision sports

At a glance

• Shared demand: Speed, precision and decision-making
• Energy profile: Intermittent bursts or long, gentle rounds
• Key challenge: Several matches or rounds in a row
• Our focus: Carbohydrate timing, hydration, recovery

What racket and precision sports share

Racket sports are intermittent: repeated accelerations, changes of direction and lunges, separated by brief rests between points. Tennis, padel, squash, badminton and table tennis all rely on speed, reaction time and fine motor control under fatigue, with carbohydrate fuelling repeated efforts as matches go on. Decision-making and skill can suffer when energy or hydration falls, so fuelling is about staying sharp as well as staying fit.

Golf sits alongside them as a precision sport, but with a very different energy profile: long, low-intensity rounds of walking punctuated by brief, powerful swings. What these sports share is tournament formats with uncertain start times, several matches or rounds over consecutive days, and players who must fuel and recover repeatedly while travelling between venues.

Environments vary too. Squash courts are enclosed and hot, badminton halls can be warm, outdoor tennis, padel and golf expose players to heat, sun, wind and rain, and table tennis demands sustained concentration at very high speed. We tailor carbohydrate, fluid and recovery plans to each sport's rally length, match format and conditions.

Nutrition priorities in racket and precision sports

Periodise carbohydrate

Needs range from around 3–5 g/kg a day on skill-focused days and in golf, to 6–10 g/kg for players training on court and in the gym for 1–3 hours a day. [1]

Fuel long matches

For matches of 1–2.5 hours, 30–60 g of carbohydrate per hour taken at breaks in play helps maintain performance. [1]

Hydration on hot courts

Aim to avoid losing more than 2% of body mass through sweat; enclosed squash courts and summer tournaments make this harder. [1]

Recover between matches

When matches fall close together, around 1.0–1.2 g/kg of carbohydrate per hour for the first 4 hours speeds refuelling. [1]

Caffeine for alertness

Caffeine at 3–6 mg/kg about 60 minutes before play has evidence for performance; uncertain start times and individual sensitivity mean we trial it first. [3]

Strength and power support

Protein of 1.4–2.0 g/kg a day for most training athletes, spread across meals, supports gym work for speed and power. [2]

Competition-day structure

1. Day before: Regular carbohydrate-based meals, good hydration and a plan for possible start times or tee times.
2. Pre-match or round: A meal with 1–4 g/kg of carbohydrate 1–4 hours before play, with golfers usually needing less than court-sport players. [1]
3. During play: Carbohydrate and fluid at changeovers, between games or every few holes, scaled to the length and intensity of play.
4. After play: Carbohydrate with around 0.3 g/kg of protein soon afterwards, particularly when another match or round follows. [1]

General guidance from sports nutrition consensus statements. Your practitioner will tailor amounts to you.

Sports in this category

Tennis

Unpredictable match lengths and heat on outdoor courts make changeover fuelling and hydration key.

Padel

Fast doubles rallies off the walls call for fuelling evening league matches and full weekend tournament days.

Squash

Very high-intensity rallies in hot, enclosed courts make hydration and recovery between rounds priorities.

Badminton

Explosive jumps and lunges in short, rapid rallies need carbohydrate timed across multi-match tournament days.

Table tennis

Extremely fast reactions over long tournament days need steady fuelling for concentration across many short matches.

Golf

Long, low-intensity rounds with brief, powerful swings need steady snacking and hydration for focus across the round.

What we help with

• Fading speed or focus late in matches
• Eating when start times keep changing
• Cramp and heavy sweat losses in hot conditions
• Recovering between several matches in a day
• Stomach discomfort when eating during play
• Travel and limited food at tournament venues

Ongoing support, not one-off sessions

We do not work with athletes on a one-off basis. Sports nutrition works best when it adapts to your training, so we recommend an initial consultation followed by at least three follow-ups.

Sports in this group

• Tennis
• Padel
• Squash
• Badminton
• Table tennis
• Golf

Who you could work with

• Jenaed Ruddock, HCPC-registered Sports Dietitian (SENr)
• Tom Hill, SENr Sports and Performance Nutritionist
• Beatriz Ribeiro, HCPC-registered Dietitian

Book your consultation

Book an initial consultation or book a free discovery call to talk it through first. All consultations are online.

Explore more

See all the sports we work with, our RED-S nutrition support, or meet the team.

Frequently asked questions

Do racket sport players need as much carbohydrate as endurance athletes?

Usually less, but it depends on training. A club badminton or padel player training a few times a week needs far less than a full-time tennis or squash player in a heavy training block. We assess your weekly load and adjust intake across the week.

What should I eat between matches on a tournament day?

Focus on easily digested carbohydrate, some protein and fluid, timed around when you are next due on court. Large, high-fat meals often sit poorly before another match. We build a plan around your draw and venue.

Is nutrition for golf very different from court sports?

Yes. Golf is lower in intensity but longer, so the priority is steady energy, hydration and concentration rather than high carbohydrate intake during play. Golfers doing gym work for power still benefit from planned protein and recovery.

Are consultations online?

Yes. All our consultations are online, which suits players who train at different clubs or travel between tournaments.

Can I book one session before a tournament?

We do not work with players on a one-off basis. Tournament routines, caffeine timing and between-match recovery need testing in training and earlier events, so we recommend a minimum of three follow-up consultations after your initial consultation.

Do you support junior players?

These pages are for adult players. Junior players in racket sports and golf are supported through our paediatric team, with parents or carers involved as appropriate.

References

1. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(3):501–528.
2. Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20.
3. Maughan RJ, et al. IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(7):439–455.