An Observational Case Series Measuring the Energy Expenditure of Elite Tennis Players During Competition and Training by Using Doubly Labeled Water

PURPOSE: An understanding of an athlete's total daily energy expenditure (TEE) is necessary to inform nutritional strategies, particularly where daily training and competitive demands are highly variable. This observational case series assessed the TEE of elite tennis players during high-level competition.

METHODS: Senior female singles participants (FS: n = 3; 21 [1] y; ranked Women's Tennis Association [WTA] top 125-375), an FS junior (n = 1; 16 y; ranked WTA top 350), and a men's doubles player (n = 1; 26 y; ranked Association of Tennis Professionals [ATP] top 5) were assessed for TEE (using the doubly labeled water method) during a 9- to 14-day period, which included training, Wimbledon Championships, WTA/ATP International Tournaments, Junior/Senior International Tennis Federation, and Wimbledon Junior Championships. One female (FS3) did not exercise from day 4 following injury.

RESULTS: TEE for men's doubles was 4586 kcal·d-1 (67 kcal·kg-1 fat-free mass [FFM]; daily activity 98 [74] min). Noninjured adult female participants' TEEs were 3396 and 3948 kcal·d-1 (66 and 81 kcal·kg-1 FFM; daily activity durations were 139 [84] min and 150 [66] min, respectively), while TEE for the injured athlete was 2583 kcal·d-1 (45.7 kcal·kg-1; daily nonexercise activity duration was <45 min). The junior player TEE was 3988 kcal·d-1 (78.2 kcal·kg-1 FFM; daily activity of 131 [66] min).

CONCLUSION: This observational case series positions tennis as a highly energetically demanding sport with variability evident between individuals (ie, TEE between 60 and 90 kcal·kg-1 FFM). Accordingly, nutritional strategies that promote sufficient energy availability should be emphasized with individual variability suitably assessed prior to prescription.