The tennis pro has openly endorsed the benefits of plant-based eating.

Novak Djokovic made history at this year’s French Open after he surpassed Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 titles and secured his third Roland Garros crown by beating Casper Ruud in the final.

The world’s top player had a convincing 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 victory after fending off a tie-break in the opening set.

With his latest win, Djokovic has become the first man in tennis history to win all four Grand Slam titles at least 3 times.

While its common knowledge that Djokovic ditched animal products during the course of his career and has credited a plant-based diet for his ‘phenomenal’ performance in the past, there is considerable conjecture on whether he is a vegan.

Is Novak Djokovic vegan?

The star athlete’s diet is regularly the subject of media attention. He has been open about following a gluten-free and plant-based diet although he has steered clear of the label ‘vegan’.

During his post-match press conference at the 2019 Wimbledon, Djokovic revealed his dislike towards any label when asked if he was vegan.

“I don’t like the labels, to be honest, I do eat plant-based for quite a few years already. But because of misinterpretation of labels and misuse of labels, I just don’t like that kind of name so to say but I do eat plant-based,” he said.

 However, Djokovic has spoken about his plant-based diet many times, crediting it for his faster recovery times.

“I think that’s one of the reasons why I recover well. I don’t have allergies that I used to have any more. And I like it,” he added.

In a 2020 interview with Essentially Sports, he further discussed his lifestyle in more depth. “It’s a lifestyle. More than just a diet because you have ethical reasons as well. Being conscious of what is happening in the animal world and you know the slaughtering of animals and farming and everything,” he said.

“There is obviously a huge impact as well on climate change that people maybe don’t talk about as much. It’s more than a performance for me, it’s a lifestyle. Something that I’m really proud of and hopefully that community grows.”

He continued: “Hopefully, I can inspire other athletes that it is possible to be plant-based and to recover well, to have strength, to have muscles. I’m not a weightlifter, of course, but I do have an optimal balance between strength and power and speed. And, you know, nothing seems to be missing, at least from my experience. So I will keep on enjoying that.”

Djokovic X The Game Changers

Djokovic has also been a part of the plant-based sports documentary The Game Changers. Speaking about his role as an executive producer, he said: “It is about how this diet affects the world, not just personal health, but also sustainability, ecology, animals.

“This is what I care about so I’m really privileged to be part of that team.”

The 2019 groundbreaking documentary is all set to get a sequel. Stephanie Soechtig and Kristin Lazure of Fed Up, Knock Down the House, and The Devil We Know will direct the new film.

It will be produced in partnership with LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s production company SpringHill Entertainment. 

“With The SpringHill Company’s unparalleled track record fusing athlete-led storytelling with the progressive subject matter — plus Stephanie and Kristin’s expert ability to weave compelling personal narratives with hard-hitting investigative journalism — we couldn’t be more thrilled about this team,” James Wilks, producer and star of The Game Changers said.

• Read: Is Arnold Schwarzenegger vegan? Here’s his opinion on plant-based eating

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