Iga Swiatek In Tennis Gear Takes Selfie With Courteney Cox

Tennis champion Iga Swiatek wasn’t even born when Friends first aired on TV, but like many other fans, she was thrilled to meet Courteney Cox. Swiatek, 22, shared a picture of herself posing next to the actress, and shaking hands across the net. “The One Where @iga.swiatek Meets @courteneycoxofficial. 😱 We saw this comment a little while ago and saved it. Today, we were able to help this dream become reality and show a little love to our #1 ahead of a very busy week for Iga in Paris. Jazda, @iga.swiatek 💪 #DreamOn #DreamTogether,” reads the caption on the post. “Definitely my new FRIEND! ❤️🎾🙌” Cox commented. Here’s how the young athlete stays focused, strong, and fit.

1. Polish Superstar

Swiatek has become a superstar in her native Poland. “Nothing could have prepared me for it,” she writes for The Players’ Tribune. “Winning my first Slam obviously changed everything for me, overnight. There are still many places in the world where for sure I’m not going to be recognized. If a random person looks at me, they’re not going to say, Oh, she’s an athlete, she plays tennis. But not in Poland. I’ve actually had some situations where people recognized me by my voice when I was ordering something to eat.”

2. She’s a Perfectionist

Swiatek struggles with being a perfectionist. “Even in everyday life, I feel like I have to do each task until the end, and very well,” she writes for The Players’ Tribune. “Like when I clean up the house, I feel myself wasting all this energy, but I can’t stop because I have to do it perfectly. In practice, I usually leave feeling like I haven’t done enough. I have to force myself sometimes to feel proud of myself. But on the other hand, I know that the quality of having to do everything right is the thing that led me to this point in life, so it can be hard to work on it.”

3. Drives Like She Plays

Swiatek is a member of the Porsche Friends team, and says her tennis style is similar to driving. “In general, I know that I have to watch my technique just as much as on the court,” she told Label Magazine. “For instance thanks to doing sports, I have the ability to react quickly on the road. I also seem to have a good feel for the car, which I discovered on the track.”

4. Big Dreams

Swiatek hopes when she is 75 she will look back and be proud of her achievements. “I hope that I will then lead a life in which I will remember all my earlier years with satisfaction,” she told Label Magazine. “I will certainly benefit from not having to do anything anymore, but all in all, I know that I already don't have to do anything in a certain way. I also hope that I will then be surrounded by people close to me and, of course, enjoy this spacious house by the water.”

5. Therapy and Mental Health

Swiatek is a strong proponent for mental health awareness. “Right now, starting this new season, I feel more confident because I already feel like I did something great,” she writes for The Players’ Tribune. “I already feel like in my country I make people proud, and I changed something. I want to keep using my voice to speak up about problems in Poland, like mental health. It’s still something unusual to go to therapy, and I hope to help change that.”

Amanda Anisimova, a rising tennis star with two WTA titles, is not only known for her athletic achievements but also for her candid approach to mental health. In a recent Instagram post, she shared highlights from her tournament in Seoul, expressing her excitement for the city and her journey in tennis. While playing the sport is a key part of her fitness routine, she also enjoys hiking and embraces the mental and physical benefits it offers. Anisimova stepped away from the sport in 2023 to prioritize her mental health, opening up about burnout and how it impacted her career. Her honesty about her struggles aims to inspire others to take care of themselves and seek support when needed.

1. She Plays Tennis

One of the ways that Anisimova stays in shape is by playing tennis. The Columbia Association states that the sport has a lot of benefits. “Tennis is an excellent full-body workout that releases feel-good endorphins to help you relax and relieve tension. Its low-impact nature also means your joints and bones will thank you. Because tennis includes short bursts of activity, it offers the same conditioning benefits of interval training, which has an unparalleled positive effect on the heart and lungs, slashing your risk of heart disease by 56% (!). Just an hour of play burns between 400 to 600 calories.”

2. She Hikes

Anisimova shared this photo on Instagram of herself hiking by the ocean. Piedmont states that hiking has a lot of benefits. “Hiking is a weight-bearing exercise that builds muscle mass and helps prevent osteoporosis. Hiking can help you manage your weight. It is a joint-friendly form of exercise that can keep arthritis sufferers more limber and mobile.”

3. She Stepped Away

In 2023, Anisimova shared what caused her to take a break from playing tennis on Instagram. She captioned the post, “Hey guys. I thought I’d make a post explaining what’s been going on and my plans. I’ve really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022. It’s become unbearable being at tennis tournaments. At this point my priority is my mental well-being and taking a break for some time. I’ve worked as hard as I could to push through it. I will miss being out there, and I appreciate all the continuous support 🤍✌️”

4. She Has Support

Anisimova has a lot of support out there. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram post. “Sad with the result 😢 wish I could play more in front of you guys here, it’s absolutely my favorite place to play. Thank you to all the fans who came out, you guys are amazing. Shoutout to the guys in the corner behind me who were screaming, you guys were awesome 😂 Last year I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to play here this year 🖤 I’ll take away all the positives and lessons with me for next year, see you all then ✌🏽”

5. She Wants To Inspire Others

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Anisimova talked about wanting to inspire others in an interview with The New Zealand Herald. “I was happy that I was able to be honest about the reason why I was stepping away,” said Anisimova. “Just being vulnerable about it [was] kind of freeing and takes a little bit of weight off my shoulders and if I can help other people in knowing that they are not the only ones struggling, they are not alone in it. It was really good to post about it and give some insight into mental health and that it is really important and taking care of yourself always comes first.”

Get ready to be inspired by the incredible fitness, dedication, and lifestyles of the 20 amazing stars of the 2023 US Open. From Iga Swiatek's meticulous routines to Aryna Sabalenka's versatile workouts, these athletes are pushing their limits on and off the court. Jessica Pegula shares her personal journey of resilience, while Caroline Garcia emphasizes the importance of eating right on the road. Elena Rybakina focuses on recovery for peak performance, while Maria Sakkari tackles intense workouts, including running. Read on for these and more unique insights into their lives, diets, and motivations as they strive for tennis greatness.

1. Iga Swiatek

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Iga Swiatek shared how she preps for a match on an episode ofCrossCourt. “It’s just routines. I try to do everything exactly the same as I did before the previous match and when I play a night session, it’s for me the hardest day because for the whole day I feel like I have to avoid things, that I’m gonna get tired.”

2. Aryna Sabalenka

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Aryna Sabalenka likes to share some of her go-to workouts on her Instagram. She makes sure to do a variety of workouts. In this video, Sabalenka is seen doing twists with both a hand and circle weight, mountain climbers, and balances on one leg. Meanwhile, in this video, she is seen running while holding a ball over her head.

3. Jessica Pegula

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In an interview with The Buffalo News, Jessica Pegula talked about why she chose to share her mother’s health situation. “It definitely gives you perspective in that aspect. People are so different. I feel like I’ve been able to play well under a lot of personal stress. Some people have a lot going on in their personal life and it really affects them on court. To me, tennis has always been more of a stress relief, in a way. It’s stressful, but I think just focusing on pouring yourself into something else kind of takes your mind off of the other stuff that’s happening.”

4. Caroline Garcia

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Caroline Garcia makes sure to eat healthy, especially when she travels. She shared her secrets with Sports Illustrated. “I don’t bring anything special with me,” Garcia says. “I just eat very simply. I check everything and try to eat a lot of rice and chicken. I just want to be safe and very careful.”

5. Elena Rybakina

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Ahead of the US Open, Elena Rybakina shared how she prepared with Redbull.com. “Now, as the tournament is starting, we are physically not working too hard. We are trying to maintain the level. During the last two tournaments here in the US I was physically not in the best condition. At this stage, it’s all about the right recovery. I need to feel 100 percent fit and get to this level.”

6. Maria Sakkari

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Maria Sakkari shared some of her go-to exercises with Baseline. “When I’m in Greece, I end up running a lot, which I don’t like, to be honest," she says. "It’s so tough, and I had to do so much of it in the off-season, and again during the lockdown last spring. At first, I did some flexibility and mobility workouts, and then we started exercising more intensely in the parks and places like that. It was a lot of running after that."

7. Jennifer Brady

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After dealing with an injury that took her out of the game, Jennifer Brady shared how her mindset has changed with Eurosport.com. “Looking back, I definitely think that overtraining plays a big part in many of the injuries we see on tour. Tennis is so physical. The amount that we train is probably not necessary. I think the older you get, the less you do, and then you realise, well, I guess I really didn't need to practise twice a day and do two gym sessions. You may not feel it when you're 16, 17, 18 up until your early 20s. But once your mid-20s hits, you just start to feel it. You wake up and you're like, ‘Wow, what's that pain? I've never had that before’. So it takes a toll on your body, and I think training smart is way better than just training and putting in so many hours. I'd rather put super high intensity with a shorter amount of time, and that's how I'm going to be training now moving forward. No more three-hour practice sessions for me; a two-hour practice is the most I'll go on court and that'll be it for me. Maybe every now and then doing two sessions, but it's more about trying to maximise and create some more longevity instead of just burning out and trying to do too much.”

8. Madison Keys

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Madison Keys talked about how she preps for tennis tournaments to Thorne.com. “I think the most important areas to me are energy, recovery, and sleep. If I’m training or in a tournament with matches on back-to-back days, then I focus on those things that make sure I’m physically at my best. I do really long training sessions outside when it’s hot in Florida, where I’m based, so I have to be on top of putting the right things into my body to stay hydrated and energized. Depending on where I’m playing a tournament, it could be just as hot as Florida and a match could go a few hours. If my body is feeling good physically, then it allows me to play more freely and focus on my tennis.”

9. Sofia Kenin

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Sofia Kenin talked about her training process with Athleisure Magazine. “I typically practice tennis twice a day for 1 and a half hour practice sessions and after that, of course lunch and recovery with some of my KT Tape. Then, I’m back with my trainer for another couple of hours and recovery is very important in my daily life. I have to maintain a good recovery so that I can do my best during the training week and upcoming tournaments.”

10. Taylor Townsend

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After having her first child, Taylor Townsend shared her process for returning in an interview. “I set a goal for myself to return back after having my son better than I left,” she said. “And in multiple facets and areas, not just how I’m playing. I definitely feel like a different player, a lot more clear, a lot more confident with what I’m doing.”

11. Elizabeth Mandlik

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Elizabeth Mandlik talked about her motivations and her approach to the game in an interview with Digital Journal. “What motivates me every day as a tennis player is the constant adrenaline in the sport and the reward you get from working hard. I’ve been a very competitive person since a very young age and it’s only gotten stronger as times passed.”

12. Madison Brengle

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Madison Brengle shared her wellness advice in an interview with Stuff.co.nz. “To take good care of your body, even when you’re young and healthy. That pays a lot of dividends when you get older. Obviously, your body is going to be more forgiving when you’re younger, but if you take good care of it then, I think it will last longer.”

13. Jodie Burrage

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Jodie Burrage opened up about her training process in an interview with Mindful Chef. She says that she makes sure to eat healthy. “I think I played 7 matches in 7 days across the country last week and that can be exhausting. Eating right is so important to ensure your body is prepared for what’s ahead of it, you don’t know how long a match will be or how long you will be in a tournament but you have to plan for the long haul when it comes to how you eat.”

14. Rebecca Marino

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Rebecca Marino shared some of her secrets for eating healthy with Nuzest. She says that she makes sure to pay attention when she goes grocery shopping. “The first thing is to make sure I’m nor hungry when I’m grocery shopping,” Marino revealed. “That can be dangerous! Secondly, I try my best not to purchase any temptations while at the store. If I don’t bring bad food into the house, it makes it a lot more difficult to get my hands on! I also try to have healthy snacks on hand, like fruit and nuts, just in case I get hungry when I’m out and about. That being said, I do believe having the occasional treat is perfectly fine so long as it is in moderation.”

15. Claire Liu

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Tennis isn’t the only sport Claire Liu likes to do. She also loves to go skiing. Earlier this year, Liu went to the Snow Summit Mountain Resort to hit the slopes. She shared these highlights from the trip on Instagram, including a video of herself skiing. Liu captioned the post, “Hit that recharge.”

16. Emma Navarro

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Last year, Emma Navarro notably made the decision to pursue a professional career in tennis. She opened up about this in an interview last year to The Post & Courier. “I’m looking forward to playing with a little bit more on the line,” she said. “I’ve changed up how I go about practice and working out, and am taking it all a little bit more seriously, taking care of my body more than I have in the past. So I feel like I’m prepared to take this on.”

17. Sloane Stephens

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Sloane Stephens shared some of her favorite healthy foods in an interview with Well + Good. She says that she loves salmon for lunch. "I cook my salmon with lots of lemon juice and add plenty of avocado [to the salad]," she says. "I probably eat that for lunch three to four times a week. Living in Florida, I'm lucky to be able to get fresh fish really easily."

18. Alycia Parks

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Alycia Parks talked about how she approaches tennis in an interview. "I always use the saying 'me versus me' because... I wouldn't say players were like beating me. I was more like, beating myself on the court. I was more like, beating myself on the court and I knew the next year. I didn't want to be in the quallies of the Grand Slams.”

19. Danielle Collins

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Danielle Collins opened up about some dietary changes she made on an episode of the TENNIS.com Podcast. Specifically, she has cut out dairy, gluten, and started eating more vegan and plant-based. “I started doing a more specific diet once I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis because there's things that can kind of trigger flare-ups," Collins said. "So it was important that I was able to identify the things that would kind of cause me to have a reaction."

20. Kimberly Birrell

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During the 2022 Australian Open, Kimberly Birrell talked about participating in it on the company’s website. "Both the men and the women seem like they're doing really well this week and I feel really proud to be, especially a female, tennis player at the moment. I think the cohort of Australian female tennis is just so amazing. I think we're all great people on and off the court … I think we're all rooting for each other, which is a really special feeling.”

Tennis players have some of the most impressive physiques in the sports world. Not only do they have to be strong, they must also be fast and can’t switch off for a second. Needless to say, becoming a tennis champion means a hardcore adherence to diet and exercise, and an intense training regime that keeps these athletes at the top of their game. So how do they do it? Here’s how the Venus sisters, Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka and 16 other athletes stay fit and fantastic.

1. Serena Williams

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Serena Williams, 41, enjoys a plant-based diet with plenty of carbs. "My philosophy is eat to live. Don't live to eat," she says. "I want to have a healthy lifestyle and, so you know, [I'm eating] a lot of greens and mostly plant-based lately, just super healthy stuff. The only time I eat pasta is when I'm playing/training. Usually, you'll never see me eating pasta otherwise. 'Cause I feel like I've had to eat it so much in my career. It's just like, I never want to see pasta again."

2. Madison Keys

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Madison Keys, 28, doesn’t believe in restricting calories. "I think a lot of times people think that athletes are constantly concerned about their weight and how they look,” she says. “And it has so much more to do with fueling my muscles with the nutrients that they need to be strong and recover and be able to fuel me for the physical activity that I'm going out and doing every day.”

3. Naomi Osaka

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Naomi Osaka, 25, eats a protein and carb-filled meal before training. "I usually eat a larger breakfast because I go straight into training and won't eat again till the afternoon," she says. "My lunch usually consists of rice, vegetables, grilled salmon, or usually a great salad or bowl from Sweetgreen.”

4. Novak Djokovic

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Novak Djokovic, 36, credits his diet with his tennis success—he enjoys an organic diet with lots of vegetables, fish and white meat, and limited gluten, dairy, and sugar. "My life changed because I had begun to eat the right foods for my body, in the way that my body demanded," he says. “Every morning I wake up... I drink a glass of water and do my stretching, maybe mixed with some yoga or tai chi, for 20 minutes. I eat a breakfast perfectly calibrated to my body for the day ahead - the same breakfast almost every day of my life.”

5. Andy Roddick

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​​Andy Roddick, 40, enjoys a balanced diet with treats when he’s not playing or training. "I'll try some sort of chicken, some sort of pasta or carb," he says. "But the biggest thing is to make sure you're hydrated well. My favorite thing to do after four or five weeks on the road is to come back to Austin, Texas, and get some Mexican food -- something greasy -- chips, salsa, the whole deal.”

6. Anna Kournikova

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Anna Kournikova, 42, is not a breakfast-skipper. "Everything starts from breakfast,” she says. “I am a firm believer that the first step to improving well-being is with good nutrition... When millions of students across the country are not taking part in breakfast, they are missing out on the opportunity to perform their best at school… I definitely do believe in everything in moderation. I think the more you restrict, the more you'll want something. And then you'll overdo it. So, I definitely believe in moderation and balance."

7. Rafael Nadal

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Rafael Nadal, 37, prefers low-impact training. "In the past I had problems in my knees and feet, so I prefer not to run a lot during training," he says. "I use the cross trainer because there's less impact. I work at a high intensity, so tennis practice is all the running fitness I need. It is aerobic enough for me.”

8. Emma Raducanu

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Emma Raducanu, 20, swears by salmon to keep her going. “I have smoked salmon three times a day, at least,” she says. “That’s something people might not know about me. Literally I’m addicted to smoked salmon, I have it for every single meal. I can eat it in any way, shape or form. I can have it on its own, I can have it with egg, I can have it with rice. It’s really versatile. For a training week, I’d probably wake up, do a good warm-up [for] 20-30 minutes, and then get on court for an hour and a half, have some lunch, and then get on court again for another hour and a half. And then probably do an hour, hour and a half of gym at the end of the day and then some treatment to keep my body in shape.”

9. Taylor Fritz

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Taylor Fritz, 25, makes sure to get plenty of protein around his training. “I take the Optimum Nutrition pre-workout before I work out, and drink water, as well,” he says. “Once I finish my workout, I’ll have my protein shake along with Stryve beef sticks. That’s something I’m usually snacking on throughout the day, just to get an extra bit of protein. I’m a bigger guy, you know, and I burn a ridiculous amount of calories a day. So I feel like it’s really important for me to have multiple sources of protein. A lot of people just do a shake, but that extra type of snack really helps keep my protein up.”

10. Venus Williams

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Venus Williams, 43, follows a mostly vegan diet. “I’ve stuck to a plant-based diet for over a decade now and have never felt better,” she says. “It gives me the energy to perform my best throughout the day and keeps me feeling at the top of my game because I make healthier choices all around. Now, ten years later, I have finally discovered a healthy balance. I still eat mostly plant-based foods like vegetables and plant-based protein, but I'm not always perfect. It's important to treat yourself from time to time!”

11. Casper Ruud

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Casper Ruud, 24, enjoys the same meal before a match. “I always eat the same for lunch or dinner before a match,” he says. “I eat a very simple, plain rice with chicken, some olive oil and salt. It seems like a smart thing to do, it’s quite easy and some good carbohydrates if I have to play a long [match]. It’s not too much flavor obviously, that’s why I add a little bit of salt. Salt is also good for sweating a lot, which I do. I think we found a good way to do it before matches.”

12. Roger Federer

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Roger Federer, 42, is another athlete who swore by pasta for fuel. "I try to eat in a balanced way and try to experiment with different foods on days I don't have to play in," he said. "I am a lover of Italian, Japanese and Indian restaurants, while in winter, I like fonduta and raclette a lot. Two hours before every match, I eat a pasta plate with light sauce, and I don't say this only because now I am in the Barilla campaign. I have been doing it for 20 years, that's why this partnership is real."

13. Caroline Wozniacki

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Caroline Wozniacki, 33, splits up her workouts between cardio and weights. “For me, it was always more cardio, and then a little bit of lifting,” she says. “But now that I’m older, I’d say it’s 50-50. That’s to make sure that my body stays strong and I can prevent injuries. I’m a big runner, but my body can’t take as much of the pounding, so I’ve had to cut down on that a little bit. Now I use the elliptical, the bike, the StairMaster—all sorts of things to get my heart rate up and save my body.”

14. Carlos Alcaraz

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Carlos Alcaraz, 20, adapts his training to his schedule. “It really depends where I am in the world (as I travel a lot),” he says. “Sometimes I like to change it up, but wherever I am, I like to keep breakfast fairly light. Perhaps some fruit, toast, maybe some eggs… Coffee, always! When I’m on the court, performance is all that matters, so I try not to think too much about how I look. Off the court, I’m still experimenting. I try to keep it fairly simple, but it’s fun to try different things.”

15. Justine Henin

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Justine Henin, 41, focuses on stretching when training every day. “I work a bit differently,” she previously said. “It's true that I'm lighter than in the past. I'm still working pretty hard, but in another way. I work a lot on my endurance, a lot on my stretching. That's why I'm getting more flexible. On the weights, we are doing something different. I still work on my power, and I'm still as quick as I was before. I do a lot of foot drills, these kind of things. We change a little bit the way to think about my preparation. That is going well, even if in the past I got many good results, too. The most important thing is that I stay healthy. When I'm healthy, I can play and I have good results, so that's pretty good.”

16. Iga Swiatek

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Iga Swiatek, 22, allows herself real time off from training. “You have to see how you feel and adjust the time that you spend and the activities that you need,” she says. “Like after Madrid, it was great for me actually not to be in that competition mode. I had two or three days and I went sightseeing. I didn't really think about tennis. I could eat only pasta and not think before every meal if I'm eating enough protein or whatever. But then you just know that in two days you have to come back. So it's not like a full reset, but you need those little moments to just have energy till the end of the swing.”

17. Andy Murray

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Andy Murray, 36, avoids alcohol when he’s training. “Obviously, I don’t drink alcohol,” he says. “Before a big match, I do a lot of preparation on my opponent and how I am going to play my game against them. I always eat an hour to an hour and a half before I am due on court and usually have something like chicken with rice and then I have physio and warm up with my team to make sure I’m ready to go mentally and physically as soon as I step out on court.”

18. Sania Mirza

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Sania Mirza, 36, fuels her training with carbs. “When you are playing, you eat a lot of carbs,” she says. “We load up on carbs because you are playing and you need that energy. When we are training in the off season, we try to cut down on the carbs and try to eat more protein.”

19. Maria Sharapova

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Maria Sharapova, 36, loves running and Pilates. "I train five or six times a week for six hours a day with my trainer, Yutaka Nakamura, or one of my coaches,” she says. “Playing professional tennis requires major dedication. If you take more than three days off, you can start to lose lean muscle. Weekly sports massages and baths, both ice and hot, help relieve my tired muscles. I add Epsom salts and lavender essential oil."

20. Martina Hingis

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Martina Hingis, 42, does yoga to relax from training or to warm up. “I find some dynamic stretching using resistance bands and exercises such as squats and lunges are good to start with as they warm the body up,” she says. “I also like to do yoga and Pilates when I get the chance. Try and build yoga exercises such as the downward dog and sun salutations into your warm up routine to keep your body supple.”