Taylor Fritz28, said play”League of Legends” is as much a part of his tennis routine as sleep and recovery.
Speak to GQ in an interview published on wednesday, the tennis star said playing video games helps him decompress.
“When you’re training and traveling, you don’t always have the energy — and you shouldn’t even go out and do things. You need that time to do something that’s not so active,” Fritz said.
Fritz said he saw it too studies suggest that the video game he plays, “League of Legends,” can improve focus. Developed by Riot Games, the game pits two teams of five against each other, with the aim of destroying the enemy’s base.
He added that he has experienced these effects himself.
“I’ve definitely noticed a crossover: If I feel like my brain is working well when I’m playing the game, my brain is also working well when I’m on the field,” Fritz said.
Ahead of his 2023 Atlanta Open win, Fritz said he also had a good week playing “League of Legends,” and felt mentally sharp heading into the tournament.
“It’s like playing chess with pieces that almost move without you having any control over them. I felt my mind was just working really well, and then I could feel that on the court all week as well,” Fritz said.
“It was very clear to me that my decision-making and focus was heightened that week,” he continued.
Gaming is part of Fritz’s off-field routine. To stay in top shape, he said he aims to eat 200 grams of protein per day and has a go-to Chipotle order that helps him achieve that goal without going overboard on calories.
“It was a lighter portion of rice, no beans, double chicken, the fajita veggies, and then I would go very light sour cream and cheese,” Fritz said, adding that he gets hot salsa with it.
With the demanding travel and competition schedule on tour, Fritz said he also has to be careful with his sleep. He adjusts his bedtime depending on when he has a match to play.
If he knows he’s going to play a match at night, he’ll shift his body clock a few days in advance by not going to sleep until 1 a.m. and waking up around late morning or afternoon.
“And I’m just starting to get into a weird sleep cycle where when I play at 8 a.m., I’m going to feel very awake and ready to play my match,” he said.
Fritz has previously spoken about the habits that help him stay healthy and focused on tour.
He told Business Insider in 2022 that Chipotle was a regular part of his diet during tournament season. “I think a lot of people don’t understand how good it is as a post-workout meal. It has everything,” he said.
In 2023, Fritz told Business Insider that he had a high protein breakfast. “I don’t usually eat much for breakfast, but I always have some kind of protein. I never start my day without it,” Fritz said.
