Tennis Match Day: Fueling, Hydration, Heat Rules and Changeovers

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Noon on an August Saturday, court 7, no shade. Your junior’s quarterfinal went three sets this morning, and the semifinal is called for 2:30. Or you’re in the club championship final with a towel over your head at the changeover, trying to remember if you drank anything in the last four games. Tennis has no halftime and no clock. Matches can last 50 minutes or four hours. That makes tennis match day a real test of planning: what you eat before, what you drink at every changeover, and how you handle heat. This page walks through it, from club players to juniors, college players and the pros.

General information, not medical or dietary advice. Players with a medical condition, and parents of young players, should check with a doctor or sports dietitian. Start at our tennis hub for the big picture.

The breaks you get (and the ones you don’t)

The ITF Rules of Tennis (2026) set the rhythm of a match:

• Between points: up to 25 seconds.
• Changeovers: up to 90 seconds when players change ends. But after the first game of each set and during a tiebreak, players change ends without a rest.
• Set breaks: up to 120 seconds at the end of each set.
• No time to “recover condition.” A player with a treatable medical condition may get one three-minute medical time-out. Events may also announce a rest period of up to 10 minutes after the second set of a best-of-three match.

So your fueling and hydration happen in 90-second windows. Plan them like part of your game.

Before the match: what to eat

The ACSM, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada suggest a carbohydrate-rich meal 1–4 hours before longer exercise. Keep it familiar and go easy on fat, fiber and heavy protein, which can upset the stomach. A tennis review in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (Ranchordas and colleagues, 2013) says tennis players should eat a high-carbohydrate diet day to day so their energy stores are full. Practical examples: oatmeal with banana and toast three hours before a morning match, or rice or pasta with chicken for a later one, plus a small snack an hour out if you’re hungry. Try your routine before a practice match, not for the first time before a final.

Start hydrated, too. In a study at the US National Boys’ 14s Championships in hot weather, players who arrived less hydrated (based on a urine test) tended to finish their singles match with a higher core body temperature. Pale yellow urine is a simple sign you’re on track.

During the match: changeover routine

• Drink at every changeover. The Ranchordas review suggests about 200 mL (roughly 7 oz) of fluid with electrolytes per changeover in mild weather under 27°C (80°F), and more, around 400 mL (about 13 oz), in hotter conditions. Tennis heat researcher Michael Bergeron also recommends drinking on each changeover.
• Add sodium. Bergeron’s work suggests that when tennis players cramp in the heat, heavy sweating over the current and earlier matches, and the sodium deficit it leaves, is usually the main cause. Cramping often starts as small twitches. Sports drinks or electrolyte mixes with sodium help replace what sweat takes out.
• Fuel long matches. When play goes past about two hours, the review suggests 30–60 grams of carbohydrate per hour: a sports drink, a banana, an energy chew or part of a sandwich, in small bites across changeovers.
• Don’t overdo plain water. NATA warns against drinking so much that you gain weight during play, because that can lead to dangerously low blood sodium (hyponatremia). Aim to replace, not flood.
• Use the 120-second set break for a bigger drink, a snack, a towel change and a quick plan for the next set.

Pack it the night before: a big bottle like the Nalgene 32 oz for water, a second bottle with a sports drink or electrolyte mix such as Skratch Labs Hydration Sport Drink Mix (carbs plus sodium) or Nuun Sport tablets (low sugar, Informed Choice tested), a couple of snacks and spare overgrips such as Tourna Grip Original for sweaty hands. More options in our best electrolyte powder guide.

Tennis in the heat: how the pros’ rules work

Tennis is played in some of the hottest weeks of the year, often on hard courts with no shade. The pro tours and Grand Slams use the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), which combines air temperature, humidity, sun and wind, to decide when to change the rules:

• WTA: the women’s tour first set up a heat rule in 1992.
• ATP (from the 2026 season): in best-of-three singles, if the WBGT reaches 30.1°C (86.2°F) during the first two sets, either player can request a 10-minute cooling break after the second set. Players can change clothes, shower, drink and cool off. Play is suspended if the WBGT goes above 32.2°C (90°F). The rule came after brutal heat and humidity at the 2025 Shanghai Masters.
• Australian Open: since 2019 it has used its own Heat Stress Scale from 1 to 5, built from air temperature, sun, humidity and wind. At level 4.0, a 10-minute break is allowed between the second and third sets of women’s and junior singles, and after the third set in men’s singles. At 5.0, the referee can suspend play on outside courts and close the roofs on the show courts.
• Your event: Grand Slams set their own heat rules, and junior, college and club events follow their organizer’s policy. Ask the tournament desk before you play.

Staying safe in hot weather

• Get used to the heat. NATA advises acclimatizing over 7–14 days, building up time and intensity in the heat gradually.
• Cool down whenever you can. Bergeron advises using every chance to cool off before, during and right after play: shade at changeovers, ice towels, cold drinks.
• Know the danger signs. Confusion, odd behavior, stumbling or collapse in the heat can mean exertional heat stroke, a medical emergency. Call 911. NATA’s rule when medical staff are on site is “cool first, transport second,” and cold-water immersion cools fastest.
• Watch young players closely. Bergeron recommends longer rest between same-day matches as heat stress rises, and coaches should shorten practices and add breaks on hot days. Our youth tennis guide has more for parents.

Two matches in a day

Tournament days often mean singles and doubles, or two rounds. In the Boys’ 14s study, the doubles match later the same day was played in even hotter conditions, and the players tended to start it less well hydrated. Bergeron’s advice: start the first match well fed and hydrated, then begin rehydrating and refueling right after you shake hands. A cold drink with carbohydrate and protein (chocolate milk works) and a small, salty, easy-to-digest snack are good choices. Then rest in the shade or indoors, and eat a light carbohydrate snack 1–2 hours before the next match. Our tennis recovery guide covers the hours between matches in more detail, and tennis nutrition covers the daily diet.

Storms: tennis courts are wide open. NATA’s rule is “When thunder roars, go indoors.” If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back out.

Tennis match-day questions

What should I eat before a tennis match?

A familiar, carbohydrate-rich meal that’s low in fat and fiber, 1–4 hours before you play, such as oatmeal and toast, a bagel with fruit, or rice with chicken. Add a small snack closer to the match if you’re hungry, and practice the routine before an important event.

How much should I drink during a tennis match?

A tennis nutrition review suggests about 200 mL of fluid with electrolytes per changeover in mild weather and around 400 mL in heat above 27°C. Sweat rates vary a lot, so weigh yourself before and after practice to learn your own needs, and avoid drinking so much that you gain weight.

Why do tennis players cramp?

In hot weather, research by Michael Bergeron points to heavy sweating and the sodium lost with it, often over several matches, as the usual main cause. Drinking enough with sodium before and during play helps prevent it. Cramping that comes with confusion or collapse is a medical emergency.

What is the ATP heat rule?

From the 2026 season, in best-of-three singles at ATP events, either player can request a 10-minute cooling break after the second set if the WBGT reached 30.1°C during the first two sets. Play is suspended above 32.2°C. Grand Slams use their own rules.

How long is a changeover in tennis?

Up to 90 seconds under the ITF Rules of Tennis, with no rest after the first game of each set or during a tiebreak. Set breaks are up to 120 seconds, and 25 seconds are allowed between points.