There has been an increased shift to plant-based diets in recent years, with some of the biggest names in tennis, including Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, making the switch. Tennis is one of the most physically demanding sports, requiring its players to possess endurance, agility, stamina, and power to compete at the highest level.
Plant-based diets have been proven to improve one’s immune system, reduce inflammation, and speed up recovery while also improving performance and keeping one healthy. It is no surprise that the athletes at the zenith of the sport have transitioned to plant-based diets to stay on top of the sport and maintain their performance levels.Here is a look at five active and retired tennis stars who follow a vegan diet:
Five top tennis players and their plant-based diets
#1 Serena Williams
A 23-time singles and 14-time double Grand Slam winner, Serena Williams is arguably the sport’s greatest female athlete. She is the only tennis player to complete a career Grand Slam in both singles and doubles and is one of only eight tennis players to have held all four Majors simultaneously.Serena is known to be a vegan for its health benefits, and she even launched her vegan fashion line inspired by Africa in 2020 – S by Serena Spring 2020.
In an article published in Hungry Forever, the American says that she believes in clearing her system to get rid of waste and that a plant-based diet helps her do that.
“I think it’s just really good to clean out your system sometimes just to get rid of all the waste and things like that that are just in your system and let the earth from the plants really clean you out. So I’m a big believer in that.”
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#2 Novak DjokovicWith 24 singles Majors to his name, Novak Djokovic is the most successful male tennis player of the Open Era.The Serb made the switch to a vegan, gluten-free diet following health problems that caused him to collapse mid-game. Immediate results furthered his conviction and performance as he also removed refined sugar from his palette.Speaking to Forbes, Djokovic said that his diet hadn’t just changed his game but his entire lifestyle.
“My diet hasn’t just changed my game, it’s changed my life – my wellbeing. And if I feel better, that obviously transfers to my professional life. Eating vegan makes me more aware of my body on the court… more alert. I removed toxin from my body, and with them went all the inflammation and other things that were messing with my energy levels.”
#3 Venus WilliamsWith seven singles and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles to her name, Serena Williams’ older sister, Venus Williams, is widely acclaimed as one of the best to step foot on a tennis court.Having been diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that causes excessive fatigue, Venus adopted a raw-vegan diet on the recommendation of her doctors. Serena also adopted the same diet to support her sister.Williams, in an interview, spoke about how much she loved fuelling her body with the right substances in the best way possible. She said (via Health Magazine):
“I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I wanted to maintain my performance on the court. Once I started, I fell in love with the concept of fuelling your body in the best way possible [through raw, vegan food].”
#4 Nick KyrgiosWimbledon 2022 runner-up Nick Kyrgios is among many tennis athletes who follow a plant-based diet. Unlike most players who made the switch for its health benefits, Kyrgios turned away from meat and dairy after seeing the plight of animals amidst the fires that devastated Australia in 2020.
In an “Athletes Voice” blog post, the Australian described the thought of half a billion dead animals as unfathomable and how he doesn’t eat meat and dairy anymore as a result.
“They’re also saying we’ve lost half a billion animals. I’ve been thinking, what does half a billion dead animals even look like?”
“I’ve been passionate about animal welfare for some time now. I don’t eat meat or dairy anymore. That’s not for my health, I just don’t believe in eating animals.”
#5 Hubert HurkaczPoland’s highest-ranked male in tennis history, Hubert Hurkacz, has been a vegan since 2018.In an interview with “ATPtour.com”, the Pole discusses how he was inspired to shift to a plant-based diet after watching food documentaries and receiving recommendations.Hurkacz noted that he stuck with the diet as he “started to feel pretty good, with more energy.”
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