Novak's Diet

Novak Djokovic holds the absolute record for the number of weeks spent at the number one spot on the ATP list, with an impressive 387 weeks at the top. This incredible success, along with numerous other records, unequivocally ranks him among the greatest tennis players of all time. The rest of the text will focus more on Djokovic's diet, which is undoubtedly one of the key factors behind his long-term dominance and peak physical condition.

The world champion's diet is certainly not for everyone, but a lot can be learned from his discipline and relationship with food. The choice of ingredients, meal scheduling, and the avoidance of certain substances in food have long been a matter of controversy and discussion, as it differs greatly from the usual way of eating in Serbia. I will try to explain why this kind of regimen is suitable for the greatest Serbian athlete, but also why it is almost unfeasible for most people.

How Did It All Begin?

In 2010, Djokovic played a match against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. During this match, he took a 2-1 lead in the first three sets, but during a restroom break, he experienced breathing difficulties and weakness, followed by nausea and vomiting. After returning to the court, he managed to win only four games across the remaining two sets and lost the match.

A nutritionist from Serbia, Dr. Igor Cetojevic, who was watching the match, concluded that these problems were caused by an imbalance in the digestive system and could be neutralized with a proper diet. After the match, Djokovic and Dr. Cetojevic met for consultations, during which the doctor established a gluten intolerance. This conclusion was later confirmed by biochemical analyses, which also revealed a strong intolerance to dairy products and a mild intolerance to tomatoes.

Following this, Novak eliminated gluten, dairy products, and tomatoes from his diet and felt a massive change. This by no means means that everyone should eliminate these foods from their diet, but it highlights the importance of biochemical checks and the contribution of experts to achieving the best results.

Impact on the Game

Everything he does, everything he eats and drinks follows a strict plan aimed at keeping Novak in peak shape. In 2015, Novak told the Independent that many factors were responsible for his success, from a gluten-free diet and training to careful planning and a happy family life. He went on to say that he achieved the best results by following a holistic approach to life and tennis, and that there is no single thing, secret, or elixir that helped him become who he is today. He believes that all aspects of his life together are responsible for his success and that it is essential to listen to your body. Guided by this philosophy, Djokovic went from a talented player with many physical problems to an athlete capable of enduring almost anything physically and mentally.

The first change he made—eliminating gluten from his diet—transformed him into a completely different player. This drastic change in diet was reflected in a huge leap in performance, giving Novak more energy, better concentration, and greater endurance.

The biggest change can be seen in his strong mental attitude and determination. While at the beginning of his career he relied on his physical fitness, endurance, and flexibility to achieve victory, with the change in diet he added the ability to make quick decisions and mental stability even in the most difficult situations. His determination could also be seen in his last match against Tsitsipas at the French Open, when after losing the first two sets, he managed to triumph with a score of 3-2 after more than four hours of play.

Djokovic believes that his diet is responsible for his quick recovery after exhausting matches, and he places the greatest emphasis on the absence of the allergies that had plagued him since childhood. It is interesting to note that Novak's parents owned a pizzeria, yet he is allergic to the basic ingredients of pizza: dough, cheese, and tomatoes. I would speculate that his allergies were caused by prolonged exposure to these substances.

The change in diet transformed Djokovic from a player who relies on good counter-punches from seemingly impossible positions into a stable player with consistent energy and the confidence to take control of the game.

Novak Djokovic's Diet

Djokovic believes that food is information, and that every meal is a communication with one's own body.

I would call this approach to nutrition intuitive eating, and its goal is to teach a person to listen to their body and let that guide them in choosing ingredients and meal times. However, while it may sound simple, an intuitive approach to nutrition is difficult and demanding. In addition to requiring enough time to prepare meals, it demands knowledge of one's own body and a consistent schedule of meals, training, and rest. This is a diet I often suggest to clients, but as expected, it differs for each individual and requires effort from both me as an advisor and the client who needs to adopt those tips. On the other hand, once an intuitive regimen is established, it is easy to maintain and yields significant health and physical benefits without the psychological strain that restrictive diets or extreme regimens can present.

Due to the specific demands of his body, Novak avoids gluten and dairy products, and consumes sugars in small amounts. He mostly eats vegetables, legumes, white meat, fish, fruit, nuts, seeds, chickpeas, and lentils, and consumes plenty of healthy fats. Although he avoids bad sugars and inadequate proteins, Djokovic is not on a sugar-free or keto diet; rather, he gets his sugars from good sources and at times when his body needs them.

After defeating Federer in 2019, he stated that he would not call his diet vegan due to misinterpretations of the word. He says his diet is plant-based and has been for many years. While meat is a good source of protein, a professional athlete does not benefit from long digestion times or too much animal fat. A plant-based diet clearly provides enough energy and protein to build the muscles of a world champion.

The world champion wrote about his meals and dietary habits in his book "Serve to Win," published in 2013. The rest of the text outlines his meals over three days as presented in that book.

A Champion's Breakfast

Novak starts every day with a glass of lukewarm water as soon as he wakes up. One to two glasses of water in the morning help the body rehydrate after the night and are my recommendation to everyone who doesn't have specific health issues.

The water is followed by two tablespoons of honey. According to Djokovic, our body needs sugar, especially fructose, which can be found in fruit, some vegetables, and honey. With this practice, Novak breaks the fasting state his body falls into during the night, which definitely has positive effects on the rest of his day. My opinion is that unless you are on a specific diet regimen, carbohydrate intake, including simple sugars, should be done in the morning to give the body enough time to use them throughout the day. I would add that fructose can also be found in most processed and packaged foods, from sweets to ketchup, but those are not good sources because along with fructose, we ingest other unhealthy things.

The main part of breakfast is usually muesli. The base of the muesli is organic gluten-free oat flakes, to which Novak, depending on his mood, adds cranberries, raisins, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, almonds, cashew butter, bananas, or some other fruit. Such a breakfast is rich in carbohydrates and additionally contains lots of vitamins and electrolytes. This is a breakfast I would recommend to almost everyone, and it is very similar to what I usually eat in the morning.

Recipe for Novak's muesli:

• 100 grams of gluten-free oat flakes
• 50 grams of dried cranberries
• 50 grams of raisins
• 50 grams of pumpkin or sunflower seeds
• 50 grams of chopped almonds

The breakfast is prepared very simply. All ingredients are mixed in a bowl and covered with milk. Djokovic uses rice milk or almond milk, and adds fresh fruit like bananas, berries, or apples as a sweetener.

Morning Snack

Depending on how he feels, Novak sometimes has a snack between breakfast and lunch. This snack is never too heavy and mostly consists of complex carbohydrates, a few healthy fats, and protein. For a physically very active person, this meal is sometimes necessary to have enough energy for training.

Gluten-free bread, toast, or crackers are the base of the snack. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what flour he uses or how it's prepared, so the nutritional assessment is purely speculation. Bread and crackers are rich in carbohydrates, low in fat, and low in protein. Additionally, they contain vitamin B3 and calcium, as well as other vitamins and minerals if whole-grain flours are used. I wouldn't recommend this kind of snack to you unless you are exceptionally active physically and have already "burned through" the energy consumed during breakfast. For average people, a piece of fruit or a few nuts should be enough until lunch.

Djokovic's source of good fats during this meal is mostly avocado. Avocado is one of the fruits highest in fat, most of which are monounsaturated or healthy fats, the same kind found in olive oil. These fats are linked to heart health, have positive effects on weight control, and reduce inflammation. Compared to other fruits, avocado contains few carbohydrates, most of which are dietary fiber.

To maintain muscle and achieve better recovery after training, Novak also needs protein. The main source of protein during the snack is tuna. This fish contains more protein than chicken breast, which is most commonly presented as the best source of protein in a diet. Tuna is additionally low in calories and packed with magnesium and vitamins B6 and B12, which are the most problematic for people on a plant-based diet.

The Lunch of Champions

Djokovic's lunch is also focused on complex carbohydrates to provide enough energy for a day of grueling training. According to him, during the day he wants to tell his body that it needs energy, and he achieves this by consuming carbohydrates with a little protein.

Gluten-free pasta with grilled vegetables is Novak's standard lunch. This pasta is made from rice flour and is mixed with zucchini, asparagus, dried tomatoes, and vegan cheese. Djokovic eats it with a mixed green salad (spinach, lettuce, iceberg, etc.), and if he is playing a match, he adds meat or fish to this lunch. This kind of lunch is healthy, providing the energy and nutrients essential to our bodies. I would gladly recommend it to a large part of the population, but replacing the rice pasta with brown rice.

Spiced buckwheat salad is prepared with buckwheat noodles (soba noodles), which are a traditional Japanese dish or side. They contain more protein and fiber than other noodles but are expectedly rich in complex carbohydrates. Red pepper, arugula, basil, cashews, and dressing are added to the noodles. Novak also eats this meal with a mixed green salad. Nutritionally, it is similar to the previous one, so my opinion remains unchanged. People who are not gluten intolerant can consume other pasta, as in my opinion, buckwheat pasta is a bit flavorless.

Recipe for Novak's pasta:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil, preferably cold-pressed virgin
• 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons
• About 200 grams of asparagus, sliced into rings
• 4 cups of rice pasta, about 700 grams
• About 50 grams of sun-dried tomatoes
• A quarter teaspoon of salt, feel free to add more to taste
• 2 tablespoons of grated vegan cheese, to taste
• Fresh herbs, for example basil or parsley, to taste

In a large pan, sauté the garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped zucchini and asparagus and fry for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions and drain it. When the vegetables soften, mix them with the pasta and add salt, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and cheese. This amount is enough for 4 people.

I would add that even though the recipe suggests frying with olive oil, this should be avoided. Frying with lard or sunflower oil is healthier, and heating olive oil should be avoided. My suggestion would be to fry the garlic in sunflower oil or lard, and to stew the zucchini and asparagus to retain more flavor and nutrients. Olive oil is delicious and rich in good fats, so you can add it after cooking, while tossing the pasta and vegetables.

Afternoon Snack

Unlike the morning snack, which Novak only has when he feels the need, the afternoon snack is a part of his routine. This meal is extremely light and mostly consists of some fruit, such as an apple, banana, avocado, melon, etc., cashew butter, gluten-free crackers, or a bar made from nuts.

This kind of snack will suit almost everyone. Of course, if your lifestyle habits don't include a snack, there is no need to add one. Three meals a day are sufficient and suit most people. On the other hand, if you feel hungry before dinner, consider adding a snack to achieve better hunger control and avoid overeating during dinner.

Remember that nuts are energy-dense, so you must be careful with the amount you consume, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Also, this is Novak's 4th meal of the day containing carbohydrates, which is necessary for someone with his intensity of physical activity, but it might be too much for averagely active people.

The Dinner of the World Number One

According to Novak, he doesn't need energy at night, so for dinner, he sends a message to his body to clean up the mess it made during the day. His dinner is high in protein and consists of a healthy salad, fish or chicken, and vegetable soup. This kind of meal not only ensures good muscle regeneration and recovery after competitions or training, but also better sleep and rest so he can repeat his grueling day tomorrow.

Cezar salad made from kale, fennel, quinoa, and pine nuts with dressing is one of Novak's options for the last meal of the day. Kale contains a lot of dietary fiber and calcium, while quinoa contains slightly more protein and complex carbohydrates. Fennel and pine nuts round out this meal with vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C and K, iron, and magnesium.

This salad is very healthy but relatively poor in protein, so Novak eats it with salmon fillets, roasted tomatoes, and marinade. Salmon contains about 20 grams of protein and about 200 calories per 100 grams, making it an excellent source of good protein, but it is higher in calories than chicken breast.

Tuna salad is another dinner option that Djokovic mentions in his book. In addition to tuna, it contains green beans, white beans, arugula, red pepper, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Tuna is even richer in protein and has a lower caloric value than salmon. In 100 grams of tuna, there are about 28 grams of protein and 132 calories. The vegetables in this salad contain a large number of vitamins and minerals necessary for good health and an active life. As a side dish with this salad, Novak eats roasted tomatoes.

Fresh salad is made from mixed green vegetables with avocado and homemade dressing. It is moderate in calories and protein, but rich in fiber and vitamins. Novak eats it with roasted chicken, with the skin left on, drizzled with lemon juice. In this way, his dinner is nutritionally complete and provides him with the necessary protein and energy.

Soup is an obligatory part of the dinner of the world's best tennis player. The three soups that can be found in his book are: Tomato soup, Carrot and ginger soup, and Minestrone soup, which is made from carrots, onions, beans, tomatoes, and rice or pasta. Soups are mostly water, so they help with good hydration and adequate electrolyte intake. Electrolytes are involved in numerous processes in the body, including muscle contraction, pH regulation, and sweating, so a good intake of them is of great importance for someone who is physically active. Soups are healthy and useful for the rest of the population too, and you don't have to eat them only in the evening. Soup at lunch time is perfectly fine.

Recipe for Novak's carrot and ginger soup:

• 1 finely chopped onion
• 900 grams of peeled and coarsely chopped carrots
• 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger
• 7 to 8 cups of vegetable broth
• A quarter teaspoon of nutmeg
• A quarter teaspoon of salt, to taste

In a large pot, sauté the onion over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add the carrots, garlic, bay leaf, and ginger, and sauté for another 20 minutes. Add the broth and let it simmer until the carrots and onions soften, about another 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and transfer the soup to a blender, blending it until you get a smooth purée. Season the resulting puréed soup with nutmeg and salt, and you can also add a little extra ginger or grated orange zest.

Closing Words

Novak's diet is truly fantastic, and without it, he would hardly achieve the results he does. Of course, besides nutrition, his discipline and rigorous training are also extremely important. Interestingly, Djokovic prepares his food himself, and during meals, he avoids doing anything else, like reading or looking at a phone or TV, dedicating himself completely to the food instead.

Following Novak's example, people have popularized a gluten-free diet, which is completely crazy considering that most people don't share his problems, but have their own, completely different issues. Biochemical laboratories allow you to test whether you have an intolerance to a certain allergen in food, which I sincerely recommend to you.

Djokovic's diet is perfect for him, but establishing a good relationship with food and creating your perfect diet is a very personal process and impossible to simply copy. The intuitive approach to nutrition is probably the most time-consuming of all dietary regimens, but it allows you good communication with your body and an understanding of its needs. If you decide to change your diet, I offer you help in choosing the perfect diet for you and your lifestyle, as well as advice related to motivation and perseverance.

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