Serena Williams, tennis player, asked a shot of espresso after losing 6-0 against Flavia Pennetta, the first set of a match at the Hopman Cup in Australia. Williams went on to win the next two sets and the match (6-3, 6-0). In my experience I’ve known athletes in fencing and shooting whose few minutes before the start took a coffee. We know that the caffeine stimulating effect occurs after about 10 minutes the shot. Therefore in short performances like those of fencing and shooting sports, any positive effect is mostly mental. The athletes are convinced to beready because they drank coffee.
