For many years, the global stage of men’s tennis was defined by what enthusiasts came to call “the Big Three”: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. These three athletes embodied an era of extraordinary consistency, intensity, and technical mastery that dominated the game for nearly two decades. Though Federer and Nadal have now stepped away from active competition, their influence continues to shape tennis culture, while Djokovic — at the remarkable age of thirty-eight — remains an unyielding force on the court. Against a backdrop of younger challengers eager to take his place, he continues to compete at the highest level, proving that experience and discipline can coexist with enduring athletic excellence. At every Grand Slam tournament, he faces the rising generation of elite players, such as twenty-two-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, twenty-four-year-old Jannik Sinner, and twenty-eight-year-old Taylor Fritz. Yet despite their youth, passion, and relentless pursuit of victory, none have managed to dethrone him from his astonishing record of 428 cumulative weeks as the world’s top-ranked player in the ATP standings.
Djokovic’s playing style has often been described as both physically demanding and mentally exhaustive. The Serbian athlete attributes much of his sustained energy, resilience, and capacity for recovery to his rigorous, highly disciplined approach to diet and lifestyle. He eliminates dairy, gluten, and refined sugars from his meals — a regimen he claims provides vital support to his body’s efficiency and longevity. While he humbly acknowledges that nutrition is not the sole catalyst behind his success, he ranks it among the most significant contributors. As he explained in an interview with *Business Insider*, his performance is the result of a combination of consistent choices, from what he eats to how he manages rest and stress.
Although Djokovic has achieved an extraordinary 24 Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal, he advocates a personalized approach to wellness rather than a prescriptive one. He often emphasizes the importance of self-discovery — finding the methods, routines, and dietary habits that align best with one’s own physiology and goals. The champion explains that he has come to appreciate the value of eating whole, unprocessed foods, of knowing where ingredients come from, and of understanding the process by which they are prepared and consumed. Equally vital, in his view, are the subtle but essential factors that make up the larger mosaic of wellbeing: restful sleep, emotional balance, hydration, and the ability to manage external stresses. For Djokovic, peak performance stems from an intricate harmony between these interdependent elements.
Still, he remains realistic about human imperfection, reminding his audience that perfection is neither attainable nor necessary. Instead, he believes that by mindfully addressing each area of life — one’s diet, exercise, mindset, and recovery — individuals can greatly enrich their overall existence. Such a holistic approach, he explains, enhances both professional and personal spheres, helping people feel more energized, present, and fulfilled. His philosophy extends naturally into the idea of longevity: once a person establishes the foundations of sound health and balance, the next step involves fine-tuning — learning to discern exactly how those fundamentals apply to one’s unique body structure, lifestyle patterns, and emotional needs.
In a conversation connected to his co-founded venture, *Cob*, an innovative sorghum-based snack designed for those who cannot consume corn, Djokovic elaborated on the essential lifestyle decisions he believes have enabled him to extend his competitive career well beyond the conventional boundaries of professional tennis.
Djokovic’s journey toward dietary awareness began with a significant revelation: he discovered he was intolerant to gluten. Growing up in a family that operated Italian restaurants, he naturally consumed large quantities of pasta, bread, and other gluten-rich foods that were integral to his family’s cuisine and culture. When medical tests revealed that his chronic fatigue and inconsistent stamina were linked to gluten intolerance, it came as a tremendous shock. He admitted that before 2009, he had scarcely even heard the term “gluten.” Following his doctor’s advice, he removed not only gluten but also sugar and dairy from his diet. The transformation, he recalls, was almost immediate and profoundly uplifting. Within three months of implementing the changes, his energy levels, alertness, and physical performance experienced a major resurgence. Though he occasionally allows small indulgences, Djokovic remains committed to a primarily gluten-free lifestyle, acknowledging that even mild sensitivity can influence how he feels and performs.
Before this dietary overhaul, Djokovic struggled with a range of respiratory and sleep issues that frequently compromised his ability to maintain his high standards on the court. Persistent sinus congestion and pollen allergies made his breathing shallow and his nights restless, leading to early match retirements and unexplained dips in stamina. He remembers being frustrated by his inability to sustain performance despite unwavering dedication to training. Once he addressed his dietary triggers, however, the difference was dramatic. Improved breathing translated directly into better sleep and faster recovery between matches, which in turn amplified his endurance and clarity of focus during competition. “When you’re able to breathe properly,” he explained, “you move better, play with greater ease, and benefit from a renewed sense of vitality.” This improvement created a virtuous cycle: better breathing led to better sleep; better sleep enhanced recovery; recovery strengthened performance — all feeding into each other to elevate his game.
Beyond the physical dimension, Djokovic places immense importance on emotional and psychological health, describing this aspect of personal development as an ongoing and “never-ending process.” He has worked consciously to cultivate self-awareness and nurture his personal relationships, recognizing that success in sport cannot be separated from stability and harmony off the court. In his philosophy, the mind and body form a single interconnected system — a continuum in which emotional turbulence inevitably affects physical performance. For Djokovic, stepping onto the court with an unsettled mind or unresolved personal issues is simply impossible; the two worlds inevitably converge.
To maintain equilibrium, he turns to practices rooted in mindfulness, meditation, and reflection — tools that help him manage stress and remain emotionally centered. He views his well-being as a multifaceted endeavor, requiring attention not just to diet and training, but also to mindset and spirit. As he succinctly expresses it, his approach to health is holistic, multidisciplinary, and ultimately spiritual in nature. It encompasses the total harmony of body, mind, and soul — the real foundation of his enduring success and longevity.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/changes-novak-djokovic-tennis-longevity-diet-sleep-emotional-health-2025-11
