Six years ago, Novak Djokovic faced a tough decision about his lifestyle. Little did he know it would eventually come down to a choice between his plant-based diet and his tennis career. However, tennis is undeniably Djokovic’s passion, and his drive to be the best in the world is unwavering. Well, “Eating meat was hard on my digestion,” Novak once confessed.

Djokovic’s Australian Open record shows an impressive win streak of 10 titles. But his experience of fighting in Melbourne cannot be considered a fairy tale. Especially his 2018 run, where he not only fell short against Chung Hyeon in the last 16 match but also met with an injury. The alleged G.O.A.T. of tennis might not have had many injuries in his career compared to his peers, but when his elbow troubled him in that match, the then 30-year-old player realized an immediate action was required. Soon, the seven-time Wimbledon champion consulted with his doctors and had surgery thereafter. The injury was not new, as it had been pulling him down since 2016.

The Serbian player could never compromise on his dream of playing tennis, and so he found a way. But in doing that, he came across another difficulty: his vegan diet. Djokovic has quite often vocalized his thoughts on the importance of having a strict diet and disciplined routine to excel in the sport. And consumption of red meat did not help him with that goal. “That [eating meat] took a lot of essential energy that I need for my focus, for recovery, for the next training session, and for the next match,” he once admitted. But unfortunately, he had to take an unwanted road after his elbow surgery.

“Novak‘s muscle fibers are ideal for tennis. But his muscles needed strengthening. His diet is dominantly vegetarian, but he needed some animal proteins as well. It‘s not possible without those. That is why Novak had adjusted his diet to include eating more fish as he doesn‘t eat other kind of meat,” Marian Vajda, his coach at the time, said. And his sacrifices soon yielded positive results. Djokovic, who was trying to regain his strength before the Wimbledon of 2018, defeated Kevin Anderson in the final and won his fourth title in London. 

If staying healthy to keep fighting his battle needs a bit of compromise from his side, Djokovic does not back down. Instead, he does everything that “it takes to be a champion.” Be it his gluten-free diet or saying no to sugar, the 37-year-old is up on his feet when it comes to staying fit. Sharing his daily routine and his “green”-based diet, the Serbinator also once spilled the beans on his dietary routine earlier in an interview.

Novak Djokovic’s dietary secret to success!

When Djokovic was a kid, he went through a series of problems regarding his health. Be it his recurring allergies or breathing issues, Djokovic, with his poor health, had to deal with a lot. But after 2016, the 37-year-old player found a strict diet to follow, with guidance from his doctor. Revealing a glimpse of that, he said, “When I rise from the bed, I start my day with a glass of warm water and lemon so that I can help my body detoxify. And then, I would have celery juice on an empty stomach.”

Furthermore, Djokovic also added, “Post a short break, I would have my green smoothie which is made using different algae, fruits and superfoods. Alongside, I use great supplements that allow me to have mental clarity and help me feel good throughout the day.” The former World No. 1’s fitness regime has worked perfectly well for him. The results are in front of the entire world.

With minimum injuries, he has reigned in tennis for over two decades. Now, he is onto winning another Grand Slam at Wimbledon. Hopefully, he stays fit like this and we get to see him play tennis for more years to come!