Practices and perceptions of recovery modalities in professional tennis players

Objective To explore professional tennis players’ perceptions, behaviours, use and barriers related to recovery strategies during a Grand Slam tournament window Design Cross-sectional study Methods Forty-three professional tennis players completed an online survey during a Grand Slam tournament window. Data are reported descriptively using frequencies and percentages, and open-ended responses were analysed thematically. Results Sleep and massage were perceived as the two most effective recovery strategies (93% and 88.4%, respectively). Massage (86.0%) and ice baths (74.4%) were the most used recovery strategies. Stretching had the highest percentage of participants using it after every match and/or training session (93.1%), followed by nutrition/supplements (91.3%). Foam rolling was predominantly chosen for its ease of accessibility (50%). Coach/peer influence most strongly affected the use of sleep optimisation strategies (41.2%). Limited availability was the most frequently reported barrier for massage (60%). Lack of motivation and low perceived effectiveness were the primary barriers for stretching (36.4%) and foam rolling (42.9% and 39.3%, respectively). Discomfort was the main barrier to using ice baths (55.6%). Conclusion This study assessed perceptions and self-reported recovery behaviours rather than athletes’ objective knowledge. There is a potential need to strengthen athlete and practitioner education, improve access to evidence-based support, and address the structural and motivational constraints that limit the consistent application of effective recovery strategies.