In tennis, athletes are exposed to the elements for lengthy periods of time. In some cases, the time of year can combine with environmental factors to worsen the impact on athletes.
Take the Madrid Open in tennis, for example. Played on clay courts in late April, when tree pollen overlaps with the arrival of grass pollen, players can struggle as a result of the combination of clay, dry air, wind, and pollen.
“These can stack on top of each other,” explains Dr Robby Sikka, medical director for the Professional Tennis Players Association. “It is not just one exposure — it is the cumulative airway burden.”
During long, high-intensity tennis matches, players are breathing huge volumes of air. If they are mouth-breathing, Sikka says “more pollen and irritants can reach the lower airways.
“That can trigger inflammation, coughing, chest tightness, or exercise-induced bronchospasm (causing chest tightness and shortness of breath).”
For tennis players, even small changes matter, adds Sikka: “If your eyes are irritated, your sleep is worse, your breathing is less efficient, or you cannot recover as quickly between points, that can absolutely affect performance.
“At the elite level, allergies are not just a nuisance,” he continues. “They can be the difference between feeling normal and feeling like every rally takes more out of you than it should.”
