Physiological responses and nutritional profile during competitive female singles tennis

Aim of the study. The aim of this study was to examine hydration profile, food intake, rating of perceived exertion, heart rate values and salivary cortisol concentrations, among 10 young female national tennis players during a national event. Patients and methods. Saliva was collected on six occasions including a resting day. Bodymass change and urine specific gravity (USG) were used as indices of hydration state. Energy intake was evaluated using a 3-day food record questionnaire including the day of match. Results. The female players had pretraining USG values greater than 1.020 g/ml. They incurred a body mass deficit of 2.5%, consuming 63% of total fluid loss. Cortisol concentrations measured on the day of the match in the morning were significantly higher than those noted in the resting values. There was a progressive increase in the cortisol concentrations on the day of the competition; the concentrations noted 10 minutes after the end of the match being the highest. Energy intake was about 25% lower than the French recommendations. Low carbohydrates and high fat intakes, inadequate intake of some micronutrients indicated suboptimal dietary habits. In conclusion, tennis match induces both physical and mental stress. (c) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.