Did a Gluten-Free Diet Just Change the Game of Tennis?

Katie Trucco  

Within the last few years, the gluten-free diet has boomed in popularity. Not only are doctors recognizing and diagnosing more Americans with Celiac disease, a hereditary condition in which the body does not digest gluten, but more and more people are acknowledging the innumerable health benefits that coincide with eliminating gluten from their diets.
Many athletes have adopted this dietary trend, including tennis star Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is now ranked among the greatest players of his generation, along with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, even surpassing their accomplishments in some matches. However, as early as a year ago his serve was reputably sloppy and his forehand inconsistent. So what sparked the rapid change? Djokovic was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, which forced him to cut all foods containing the offending protein from his diet.
Suddenly, Djokovic garnered worldwide attention for his newfound precision on the court, his powerful backhand, and his unprecedented stamina during matches. His stats for the 2011 season speak for themselves; according to the Wall Street Journal, Djokovic managed to beat Rafael Nadal in rallies lasting longer than eight shots, a feat that no one has ever triumphed over Nadal.
Eliminating gluten from one’s diet is also linked to an improved mental state. Many people who suffer from gluten intolerance experience “brain fogs” in which they find they cannot function as sharply as they would otherwise. David Levitsky, a professor of nutrition and psychology at Cornell University, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal saying "It's mostly mental energy you're talking about, not energy supplied to muscle tissues." Many believe Djokovic is performing so much better because he is more mentally focused on the game.
Of course, nothing in life is as easy as giving up pizza in order to become a world-famous tennis player; but Djokavic is a solid example of how diet can significantly impact the way one performs on a day-to-day basis. Gluten-free diets, though thought by many to be nothing but a simple placebo effect, can really change the way an athlete plays and strategizes about their sport.