Advertisement

I won Wimbledon twice – there are three foods I never put in my diet

Rafael Nadal
-Credit: (Image: JAIME REINA/AFP via Getty Images)


Adopting the right diet is important for everyone, but for an elite athlete like Rafael Nadal, it's absolutely essential.

Tennis is one of the most competitive and physically demanding sports in the world, so the fact Nadal stayed at the very summit for nearly two decades is testament to his relentless hard work and dedication both on and off the court.

When his career began, the Spaniard was scoffing chips, slurping Coca-Cola and spreading Nutella on just about everything he could find. But in 2013, he was introduced to a professional nutritionist, who gave his student-esque eating habits the old heave-ho.

Fast-forward 11 years and the 38-year-old is on strict anti-inflammatory diet that consists mainly of fish, green vegetables, rice and potatoes. And according to nutritionist Nuria Granados, he no longer touches meat, cheese or cold cuts.

Nadal eating a banana
Nadal used to eat junk all day, but since 2013 he's been on a strict diet of healthy food -Credit:Getty Images

"Knowing how difficult it is to make changes in anyone's diet, Rafa still being willing to accept changes after winning everything he's won eating in a certain way is another testament to his humility and greatness," she told Spanish outlet Relevo.

Earlier this month, Nadal announced that he'd be retiring from the game after the competing at the Davis Dup in November. He's won 22 Grand Slam titles, second only to Novak Djokovic, over the course of his career, averaging 1.22 major wins per year across a staggering 18-year stretch.

In the past, the tennis legend has credited his incredible longevity in the game to his healthy eating habits, and a few weeks ago he claimed it had a huge impact on his mental health too. "I realised the importance of nutrition much later [than I should have]," he said at an event in Madrid.

Nadal waving
Rafa Nadal is waving goodbye to tennis next month -Credit:AFP via Getty Images

"When someone gets used to doing things from a young age, it evolves naturally. It has taken me a lot of effort. Today I am very aware that taking care of yourself and your body is vital. Not just for playing sports, but for having health and vitality necessary for happiness."

Nadal took the tennis world by storm after exploding onto the scene as a teenager in the early 2000s. He won the French Open on his first attempt in 2005 aged just 19, and went on to lift the trophy a further 13 times.

He also clinched two Wimbledon titles, two Australian Open titles and four US Open titles, and is one of just five players in history to have won the so-called Olympic Slam - which involves winning all four majors as well as an Olympic gold medal.