Before the Match
Often overlooked, a pre-exercise meal is your best bet when it comes to having the edge over your opponent. Eating before a match not only helps prevent low blood sugar, which is often accompanied by light-headedness, fatigue, blurred vision and shakiness, but also helps fuel your muscles and settle your stomach. Make sure that you allow adequate time to digest your food. The general rule is to allow at least three to four hours for a large meal, two to three hours for a small meal, and one to two hours for a liquid meal or snack.

What are your best bets for a pre-match meal? There's no magic bullet. A meal high in complex carbohydrates and low in protein and fat, such as a bowl of oatmeal with a cup of skim or 1 percent milk and half a banana, should do the trick. Nevertheless, everyone is different. Experiment with a variety of foods to determine what works best for you. And don't forget to drink plenty of fluids before you head out the door. Drink at least two to three cups of water up to two hours before you play, and drink another one to three cups 5 to 10 minutes before you serve 'em up.

During the Match
Hydration, hydration, hydration. Ideally, you should drink 8 to 10 ounces of water or as much as you can tolerate every 15 to 20 minutes. Keep a couple of water bottles courtside so you can easily reach for them between sets. If you'll be playing for more than an hour, you can increase your stamina by eating about 25 grams of carbs per every 30 minutes of play. Your body doesn't care whether the carbs are solid or liquid. Some good choices include bananas, orange sections, sports drinks or anything else that's quickly digested.

After the Match
Not to beat a dead horse, but hydration should be your first priority. Drink about two cups of water for every pound of sweat you lose. You can estimate this by weighing yourself before and after a match.

Hydration is just part of the recovery equation. Your glycogen stores also need some tending to after a hard day on the courts. Your muscles are most receptive to carbohydrate replenishment during the first hour or so after exercise. Take in about 50 to 100 grams of carbs within the first 15 minutes. Typically, most people don't have much of an appetite after they play, so reach for a sports drink or some juice. Once your appetite hits, reach for bread, bagels, cereal or fruit, all of which get into your system fairly quickly. Also, don't forget about protein. A recent study shows that including some protein along with carbs in those post-workout meals may help replenish glycogen faster. So put some milk on your cereal or slap some turkey or peanut butter between those slices of bread.

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