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Novak Djokovic Recalls Making Huge Change in His Diet to Achieve Invincible Status

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Gouri Das | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 12:06 PM ET

Novak Djokovic will continue the hunt for his 25th Grand Slam title at the US Open. The Serb started his campaign against 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up Learner Tien and has scheduled his second-round clash with Zachary Svajda.

During a recent interview on the Jay Shetty Podcast, Djokovic recalled the early phase of his career when he was not winning Grand Slam titles after lifting the first one at the 2008 Australian Open. Djokovic believes the reason he was not performing to the fullest was because he was allergic to gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. He thinks completely removing gluten from his diet helped his performance. He has time and again talked about this problem and did the same once again in the podcast.

After winning my first Grand Slam in Australia in 2008, I went three years without winning any, and Nadal and Federer always beat me in every match. I changed my racket, team members, and did everything to find the formula to beat them. At that time, I suffered a lot physically, and that’s when I realized I was intolerant to gluten.

Djokovic is very strict with his overall diet, which consists of stuff made from plants, nuts, and seeds. He also avoids dairy products and refined sugar.

By changing my diet it helped me mentally, my recovery was better, and I also made better decisions on the court. And in 2011, I experienced that great change and was unbeaten for over 40 matches, won three Grand Slams, and became the world number one.
Novak Djokovic added

At present, the biggest opponent in Djokovic’s career is considered his fitness issues, as at the age of 38-year-old, recovery from injuries has slowed down a bit, and is stopping him from to his full potential. Due to injury issues, Djokovic withdrew from last year’s French Open quarterfinals as well as this year’s Australian Open. This season, the only title he lifted was the Geneva Open – also his 100th one- by beating Hubert Hurkacz.

Novak Djokovic’s possible opponents en route to the US Open win

Novak Djokovic is placed in the bottom half of the US Open draw. A win over Zachary Svajda will pit him against Cameron Norrie or Francisco Comesana in the third round. In the fourth round, Djokovic could schedule a match against Frances Tiafoe or Holger Rune. Then in the quarterfinals, he is projected to lock horns with Jakub Mensik, Joao Fonseca, or Taylor Fritz.

The Belgrade native played the semifinals of the first three Majors, and if he reaches the last four of the ongoing event, he could schedule a blockbuster match against none other than Carlos Alcaraz. The five-time Grand Slam champion, who is aiming to double his Grand Slam tally this year after his French Open win, lost the last time he played against Djokovic – in the quarterfinals of this year’s Australian Open.

Djokovic could face World No.1 Jannik Sinner in the final. It was the Italian ace who denied him a chance to end his Grand Slam title drought by beating him in the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon this year.

Djokovic last lifted a Grand Slam trophy at the 2021 US Open by defeating Daniil Medvedev. Since that victory, only once reached a Major final – in last year’s Wimbledon, losing the match to Alcaraz. Sinner and Alcaraz, in fact, have won the last seven Majors. Djokovic is the last player other than them to win a Major.

Before arriving in New York, Djokovic skipped both the Masters 1000 events held on the North American hard-court swing- the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Masters. If Djokovic wins the US Open, it will be his fifth title in the tournament.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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