Why do tennis players like Carlos Alcaraz blow on their fingers and hands?

AS a tennis fan the gesture of players like Carlos Alcaraz blowing into their fingers and hands is not new.

But why do they do that and does it actually work?

Reuters

Carlos Alcaraz blowing into his hands at Wimbledon 2023[/caption]

Why do tennis players blow on their hands?

Most tennis players blow on their fingers and hands as a routine to get ready for the next ball.

But, there are also three other main reasons why tennis players like Carlos Alcaraz blow on their hands.

The first reason is that blowing helps during the warm and humid weather.

During the warm summer months the conditions to play are making the hands sweaty and slippy, the blowing therefore helps the hand to keep moisturise.

The second reason can be to warm up cold hands.

Tennis players are more likely to be used to warmer temperatures and chiller weather might cause their fingers to cramp up.

Blowing on them could help warm them up.

And lastly, players could be dealing with painful blisters or burns since swinging a racket constantly can be hurtful.

Therefore some are wearing tape around their fingers and hands before and during a game.

However, if there is no time to bandage their wounded hands, a cooling blow might be a quick way of dealing with the pain.

Why do tennis players have tape on their hands?

Using tape during a tennis match has various benefits for the player.

For example, it can improve their grip.

Instead of worrying about their grip in a rally or set, taping their hands can be also good for their consistency since the racket will not turn in their hands.

Furthermore, finger tape provides additional protection.

After a long game, the racket might have made the hand feel sore and tape can prevent that from happening.

And lastly, hand taping can offer the chance to swing the racket faster and generate more power in the game.

Does blowing on their hands actually help tennis players?

It is not known whether it helps tennis players to blow on their hands.

But it is possible that some players are doing it out of habit.

Furthermore, it could be for confidence and believing that their grip is better when blowing in their hands.

However, dermatologists recommend antiperspirant spray which contains aluminium salts that keeps sweat away.