Should You Drink Coffee Before a Tennis Match?
Coffee can give you a boost before a match. But it can also accelerate dehydration. Is it OK to drink coffee before playing a tennis match?
Coffee has caffeine, a known stimulant that can give you a boost. Coffee can also cause dehydration. So, is it okay to drink coffee before a tennis match?
I drink coffee before early morning matches for two reasons: I can’t function without a first cup of coffee, which helps me focus.
A 2019 study cited by the National Institutes of Health suggests caffeine may benefit tennis players. The study, Effects of Caffeine on Tennis Serve Accuracy, showed that “while caffeine has no effect early on or in the latter stages in tennis serve performance, caffeine has the potential to improve accuracy when athletes are slightly fatigued.”
A 1997 study found that caffeine significantly impacted female players’ overall play.1
Dehydration is a major concern during a tennis match. So, my rule is to drink twice as much water as coffee. So, if you drink one cup of coffee, chase that down with two cups of water. But that’s three cups of fluids before a match. That’s why I prefer the pre-match shot of espresso.
You’d be surprised how many professional tennis players drink a shot of espresso before stepping onto the court. In the Lavazza promotional video below, Taylor Fritz talks about using espresso to provide a little boost.
