It often looks tempting: to become a tennis player, make a living out of your hobby and in the mean time, travel around the world. Visiting a lot of different countries, good weather, beautiful people and beachlife. It seems like a holiday, but is that what it is? Time to look into this special way of living. What does a tournament day of a tennis player really looks like? We asked Miliaan Niesten, currently ranked 529 on the ATP tour, about his routine on a match day.

He didn’t really need to think and immediately came up with his schedule.

7.00 – 7.15 Wake up
7.15 – 8.00 Breakfast
8.00 – 8.30 Meditation
8.30 – 8.45 Packing bag
8.45 – 9.00 Warming up
9.00 – 9.30 Warming up on court
9.30 – 10.00 Match preparation (focus, rackets and other materials, drinking)
10.00 – 12.00 Match (Single)
12.15 – 13.00 Recovery shake, cooling down, stretching
13.00 – 13.30 Shower
13.30 – 14.30 Lunch
14.45 – 15.00 Warming up
15.00 – 16.30 Match (Double)
16.45 – 17.45 Short weight training/ stretching /mobility/recovery shake
18.00 – 18.30 Shower
18.30 – 19.30 Diner
19.30 – 21.30 Relax
21.30 – 7.00 Sleep

‘A structured day’, Miliaan says. ‘But you need to, because all these things are essential to perform well on court’. The days Miliaan doesn’t play a match, he has scheduled gym and/or tennis training sessions. Furthermore Miliaan explains he almost never sees the touristic attractions of a country. ‘Because you’re always in a tournament, or in between tournaments, if you’re abroad’. So, do you still want to be a tennis pro? There’s no doubt: the tournament life is far from a holiday!