What does Novak Djokovic eat for breakfast? We get the inside story

Novak Djokovic is famous for being cautious about what he puts into his body and this laser like focus starts the moment he gets up in the morning. 

The 23-time Grand Slam-winning legend suggests sleep and wellness routines are a vital part of what gives him the edge on his rivals on the ATP Tour.

Now he has revealed the breakfast routine that gets him in shape for his day ahead, with Tennis365 getting a chance to try it out at an ASICS event in London.

We were joined by Djokovic at the event that looked at all aspects of the world No 2’s routine, with his plant-based diet at the forefront of his preparations off the court.

Djokovic focuses on a diet that limits the prospect of him suffering from bloating, as we tasted what he likes to consume first thing in the morning before he heads to the courts for practice or a tournament match.

The Serbian likes to have a green smoothie packed with fruits including celery, apple juice, mint, spinach, and kale and while it might not sound too appetizing, it was very tasty.

Djokovic has a stripped-down version of that drink for his morning wake-up every day, with his focus on a celery-based drink designed to limit the inflammatory qualities, with no sugars added.

Then it was on to his breakfast, with traditional wheat cereals and toasted bread nowhere to be seen.

As for the prospect of a fried English breakfast, that will never again cross Djokovic’s table!

Instead, a muesli-style or granola base started the breakfast ‘power bowl’, with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, bananas and a selection of nuts and seeds.

Yogurts were also added, as well as manuka honey, which we were told was an expensive extra that added a sweet taste to the breakfast bowl.

The dish does not look like it has too much on the plate, but it was surprisingly filling and there was no sense of bloating when it was complete.

“I start with warm water and lemon so I can help my body detoxify,” said Djokovic. “And then I would have celery juice on an empty stomach.

“I eat a lot of fruits for the first part of the day. It is a plant-based diet and I don’t like to eat any food that would require much energy for digestion.

“Diet was one of the most integral of the problems and changing the diet was something that allowed me to get rid of the allergies. In recent years, I have felt stronger and the changes I made had a big impact.

“Also, sleep is extremely important. Probably more important than any other recovery routines that you could do.

“I like to get eight-and-a-half hours of sleep a night. I’m a pretty deep sleeper, so to say. I don’t wake up during the night, so I get all the sleep I need in that period.”

Mindfulness and controlled breathing is also a key part of the Djokovic masterplan, as he added: “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about mental strength is that if you lose your focus, you’re not present, and things start to go the wrong way for you.

“That’s fine, accept it, and then come back. How long you stay in that emotion is what differentiates you from others. We always think about what’s going to happen, are I going to win or not. You go back and forth, but what is important is how quickly you go back.

“For me, conscious breathing is probably the one ingredient that is the most important.”

If the drinks and breakfast we were served up at the ASICS event in Wimbledon were evidence of what Djokovic consumes on a daily basis, he is eating healthy and tasty food that is fuelling his ambitions on court.

Of course, it helps to have chefs and the finances required to buy the super-foods that are becoming increasingly expensive as this area of mental and physical wellness becomes more popular around the world with the general public.

Yet if the health food business is looking for a poster boy to promote the benefits of eating fresh food and lots of fruit, Djokovic is doing a great job for them.

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