It’s been some time since tennis fans in the United States had cause for celebration. For years, Andy Roddick excited audiences around the world with his trademark humour, quick wit and the kind of dominant first serve that left opponents baffled behind the base line. Roddick was the consummate professional and the kind of player you loved to see succeed, but after his retirement in 2012 there was a gaping void left in the American men’s tennis circuit. Today, 13 US players might be ranked within the top 100, but questions are still being asked of their longevity in the sport and their potential. Except for Taylor Fritz. The 24-year-old has stunned tennis crowds with a monster serve that has given rise to comparisons to Pete Sampras.
With his ability to cover the court with incredible speed and the kind of flourishes that make his shots all the more noteworthy, Fritz is quickly cementing his place on the circuit and proving himself to be the one to watch. At the Australian Open this year, he battled it out against world no. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in what is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining matches from the entire tournament. Continuing on from his run at a Major, he then went to Indian Wells where he achieved the greatest victory of his career after taking down Rafael Nadal to claim the title, consequently ending Nadal’s 2022 winning streak.
Currently ranked 13th in the world, Fritz seems to only be getting started. He’s taking the momentum from previous matches and looking to channel it into the upcoming French Open in which he will enter as the top-ranked American. But what exactly does a tennis player eat to sustain the energy required to take on the world’s top athletes?
In a recent interview with GK US, Fritz explained that his diet doesn’t change at all depending on the court surfaces, however it will change for a Grand Slam tournament if he’s preparing for a four-hour, five-set match. For these long-haul matches, Fritz tries to take in a lot more food the day before. “Typically, at any other tournament where we’re playing three sets, that can still be a long match, but I know I trust my fitness and the work I’ve put in. So it’s no different than a regular practice day, where I’ll just have a normal sized breakfast and then lunch and dinner with my normal snacking and protein routine in between those meals. That is plenty for most tournaments. But when I’m at a Grand Slam, I’m probably trying to do the same – and then add a second dinner into it,” explains Fritz.
A typical day of eating consists of a lot of water in the morning, Fritz says he favours really cold water. “Who knows if this is true or not, but I read that cold water first thing in the morning kind of speeds up your general metabolism for the day. So I do that,” he says. Breakfast varies, but typically he goes for oatmeal with protein powder or egg white bites when in a rush. Fritz then heads to the courts for a workout where he takes a pre-workout before the session and continues to drink plenty of water. He consumes a protein shake after the workout, along with some beef sticks.
Fritz tailors lunch according to his energy needs. If he feels he didn’t burn a ton of calories in the morning, he’ll opt for a salad or something with chickpeas and then double chicken or double steak in the salad. On days where he’s had a tough workout, he’ll opt for chipotle or something with the extra carbs. He’ll consume more beef sticks prior to another tennis practice in the afternoon, and then do something like steak or chicken with pasta, rice or sweet potatoes for dinner.
He might be a professional tennis player, but even Fritz admits to enjoying a cheat meal. “I used to go biiiig with my cheat meals. I would eat as much as I possibly could. Now I’ve gotten to the point where it’s like, I’m going to have a cheat meal, but it’s going to be just a little bit.” That way I get the satisfaction from the meal, but calorie-wise I’m not messing myself up. I’ve gotten good at not overdoing it with my cheat meals. Just give myself a little taste of it, and then it’s back to work. Like, I’m good now, and I’m going to stick a lot closer to my routine and eat all the right things leading up to a tournament,” Fritz explains.
“That’s been a really good balance for me. And just cleaning up my diet and being really consistent with it has been great for me. It’s definitely helped me a lot, I think.”
