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Plant-based tennis pro Novak Djokovic has won his 19th Grand Slam title. The 34-year-old athlete beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the French open final.
He was two sets down before fighting his way back to a win of 6-7 (6-8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. The match lasted 4 hours and 11 minutes.
The win places Djokovic one major title behind the men’s record. The record is currently held by Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Djokovic won against Nadal in a semi-final on Friday.
Tsitsipas commented: “[Djokovic] has shown over the last years what a champion he his. Hopefully I can achieve half of what he has done.”
Djokovic is ranked as the world’s top player by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
Novak Djokovic’s plant-based diet
The athlete does not identify as ‘vegan’ because of the ‘misinterpretations of labels and misuse of labels.’ However, many of his views align with the vegan movement.
Speaking to Essentially Sports, Djokovic said: “I’m very pleased that I am plant-based and play on this level for four and a half years.”
“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.
“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 added.
The year prior, during a post-match conference for Wimbledon 2019, Djokovic credited his plant-based diet for his faster recovery times.
