Ice Bath Pictures — The Four Categories of Freezin’ Your Freakin’ Buns Off
We’re not sure exactly when pics of tennis players in ice baths became a thing, but we do know that since 2013, our hot-peeps-in-frigid-pools compilations have been some of our most popular posts. So in the spirit of giving the people what they most desire (said in best, deliciously seductive Lucifer Morningstar voice), we’ve decided to bring you more of these fabulous frosty photos, kindly offered up to the Universe by the players themselves.
While putting this collection together, it occurred to us that ice bath pics can fall into four different categories, which you will see below. Sometimes these categories overlap. Sometimes you may disagree with our categorization. Sometimes you may completely ignore anything we’ve written here and just skip to the naked flesh. We get it.
Anyway, as we were saying, people react in different ways to plunging part or all of their pushed-to-exhaustion bodies into an impossibly freezing tub of water, which is maybe what makes these images so fascinating–or maybe it’s just the naked flesh. On that note, let’s move on to category numero uno:
1. Super Freakin’ Uncomfortable — We’ll begin with what we consider the most natural reaction to the combo of extreme temperature shifts and being in your skivvies when this awful thing happens to you.
For our first photo, we have Tommy Haas, who is clearly not enjoying his dip in these icy waters. And yet…we can still enjoy Herr Haas’ super fine back muscles while we giggle incessantly over that last hashtag there….
Greek teen and budding ATP heartthrob Stefanos Tsitsipas can’t feel his arm, but he’s got a definite feel for PR. Despite the slightly maniacal laugh-through-the-agony grin he’s got going on here, he’s clearly taking the opportunity to show off his buff bod’ to his ever-increasing fanbase on Twitter. He’s so suffering for his art, y’all. You must love him.
I can’t feel my arm! pic.twitter.com/027RxxATxi
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) June 22, 2017
We’re counting Stan Wawrinka as uncomfortable, since we don’t get much more than these kinds of leg shots after he possibly revealed more than he intended with his first-ever ice bath pic a few years ago. At least show us a little thigh, dude.
Icebath #USOpen #Wawrinka pic.twitter.com/KkWM0KE6Sb
— Christina (@chda7777) September 12, 2016
Check out this group of frozen zombies. Rafael Nadal apparently believes in “misery loves company.”
@Charliocosta @Charlymoya @rafelmaymo @RafaelNadal grabados por el doctor..ahora en agua fría!esto si que es hacer equipo a 12 grados! pic.twitter.com/7EcoeOX5XM
— Clinica del Tenis (@ClinicaTenis) January 28, 2017
Pookie looks a bit spooky… We’re still not entirely sure how these cryo-chambers work — other than boasting of inhumane temperatures while encircling the player in some creepy-ass fog.
Chill-out time for Lucas Pouille #icebath #ATPStuttgart #cryospace pic.twitter.com/JIlcHBZpYt
— Foam A. Lime TNNS (@FoamALime) June 16, 2017
Hey, it’s Big Kev in a Little Tub! Don’t be fooled by that thumbs-up sign. Look closely and you can see Anderson is gritting his teeth, has a bit of Crazy Eye going, and it appears his standing-on-end hair is desperately trying to flee the ice bath.
The less fun side of being a tennis pro… Ice baths never get any easier!!! pic.twitter.com/jPkak7CCuF
— Kevin Anderson (@KAndersonATP) August 31, 2016
Meanwhile, Serbian tennis player Dusan Lajovic is the definition of mixed emotions–and we’re not even sure what they’re a mix of. Perplexed? Terrified? Questioning his life choices?
Heck with that slow torture route. Borna Coric believes in tackling cold water with the all-at-once approach…and a pained grunt that sounds just as porny as his on-court noises. And no we’re not complaining.
Frenchie Johan Tatlot is going for the I’m-so-tough-this-doesn’t-bother-me-at-all. We think we see tears in his eyes, though, let’s be real. He’s screaming on the inside.
@TennisInsideOut RT @JoTatlot: En mode “Récup” après deux grosses journées d’entraînement – Ice bath
after hard work pic.twitter.com/MALfz3RYF0— jimmy soixante-dix (@hotdog6969) January 16, 2015
(P.S. A special shout-out to Jimmy @hotdog6969 for answering our call for ice bath pics. Val really appreciates him being a steady supplier of her drug of choice.)
2. Inexplicably Happy — We’ve seen some tense and crazy grins already, but these folks are in a different league. They somehow manage to look like they’re having a good time whilst freezing their nuts off. Maybe Inner Peace is what happens when you lose all feeling in your extremities.
John Peers and Sam Groth are telling us this ice bath part is #NotFun, but we’re not really believing them…
ICE BATHS @Wimbledon @SamGrothTennis #notfun #recovery pic.twitter.com/uC2TYtJcCe
— John Peers (@johnwpeers) June 24, 2016
Fernando Verdasco doesn’t just look happy, he seems insanely proud of braving the frigid waters of India. Or maybe he’s proud of all that time he’s clearly spent in the gym. Hubba hubba.
After a hard workout, a cold bath why are the pools so cold in India? pic.twitter.com/MsbAqPD2cf
— Fernando Verdasco (@FerVerdasco) December 4, 2015
We revisit Stefanos Tsitsipas as he takes on the creepy-cryo machine and seems fairly chill about hanging out in -196 degree temps.
#CryoTherapy to finish the day! pic.twitter.com/AQ7qsnYZgb
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) February 23, 2017
This one could rightly go into the category coming up next, but there is no arguing against how f’in happy Andy Murray is here. As he implies, hoisting up a Wimby trophy can make even frostbite on the family jewels seem irrelevant.
“Holding this bad boy makes the ice bath that little bit more bearable” https://t.co/U4DLjNoxeU pic.twitter.com/cAnl49fzxI
— Erik Gudris (@ATNtennis) July 10, 2016
Meanwhile, Mikael Ymer is feeling no pain as the coolness of hanging out with one of the world’s best ever players far overrides the coldness of the water. Consensus is that’s young Aussie Omar Jasika also enjoying the numbing brush with Greatness.
Ice bath with the champ @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/3vzJUW387w
— Mikael Ymer (@MikaelYmer) January 23, 2015
As we saw with Andy up above, winning changes everything, even the searing cold of an ice bath. Here is Pierre-Hugues Herbert, seriously loving life after doing well on court.
Ça s’est terminé hier à minuit avec un petit bain froid à 7,8 degrés 🙂
Content de ma 1ère victoire en 2016 #allez pic.twitter.com/Re1NDnP1hq— PH Herbert (@p2hugz) January 14, 2016
To no one’s surprise, Pierre is even happier when he’s with doubles partner and BFF Nicolas Mahut.
First ice bath pictures of 2015? 😉 MT @nmahut Petit bain froid après l’entraînement avec mon p’tit pierrot @p2hugz pic.twitter.com/g7ti7xrtSx
— Katie Bee (@breakpointsaved) January 18, 2015
PHH is even more delighted when he’s in close quarters with Nico. We really do love The French and their complete lack of personal space issues.
Aquela dupla tão unida que treinam juntos antes de se enfrentarem e que vão pro gelo juntos também. pic.twitter.com/ELqHcDX3g4
— Aliny Calejon (@alcalejon) July 1, 2016
(CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE ICE BATH PICS ON PAGE 2 — Be ready for both laughter and hotness!)
