The Diet That Changed Novak Djokovic's (39) Life

Novak Djokovic spent the early years of his career being written off as fragile, prone to mysterious mid match collapses that commentators blamed on asthma or simple nerves. One unconventional test in 2010 changed the entire trajectory of his career, and it had nothing to do with his serve or his footwork.

The diagnosis came from a Serbian doctor with no real interest in tennis, who happened to notice Djokovic struggling during a match on television. What he found led to one of the most talked about dietary transformations in modern sports.

None of it involved a personal chef or an elaborate supplement stack, at least not at first. Here is the actual diet that changed Novak Djokovic’s life and career.

A Strange Test With A Loaf Of Bread

In 2010, Dr. Igor Cetojevic asked Djokovic to hold his arm out straight while resisting downward pressure, a simple strength test he passed easily. When Cetojevic then had him hold a loaf of bread against his stomach and repeated the exact same test, Djokovic’s arm suddenly gave way, noticeably weaker, according to Tennis.com.

The unconventional test pointed toward a sensitivity to gluten, later confirmed through actual blood work. Cetojevic had also noticed Djokovic’s on court breathing trouble and vomiting during matches, symptoms he suspected were tied directly to what Djokovic was eating rather than his fitness level.

The Two Week Trial That Followed

Cetojevic asked Djokovic to go completely gluten free for two weeks, and the results were immediate. He reported feeling lighter, more energized and sleeping noticeably better, according to The Celiac Scene.

When Djokovic tested the change by eating a single bagel after the two weeks, he felt fatigued with symptoms resembling a hangover. “My diet hasn’t just changed my game, it’s changed my life, my wellbeing,” he told reporters, according to Celiac.com.

The timing lines up remarkably well with his results on the court. Djokovic had won just one Grand Slam before the change, then won three of the four majors within about a year of adopting the new diet.

What He Actually Eats Now

Djokovic’s current diet stays gluten free, mostly plant based and dairy free, built around fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes, according to his own official website. Mornings typically start with room temperature water, since he has said ice water forces the body to spend extra energy warming it up.

Breakfast usually includes two spoonfuls of manuka honey along with a bowl of gluten free muesli or oatmeal topped with nuts, seeds and fruit. In 2016, Djokovic went as far as opening a vegan restaurant in Monaco called Eqvita, extending the same philosophy well beyond his own personal meals.

More than a decade after one strange test with a loaf of bread, Novak Djokovic still credits that single afternoon with reshaping both his health and his career. Few professional athletes can trace quite so many championships back to something first discovered in a hotel room rather than a gym.