Rafael Nadal diet: Tennis star reveals what he eats before and after matches to stay fit

The 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal is all set to make a comeback to tennis after a five-and-a-half month-long break. The 32-year-old won his first singles title on tour at the age of 18. Despite a few injures and niggles, the tennis star remains at the top of his game, even against much younger players, which is, in most part, down to his fitness regime and his eating habits. Tennis is one of the most physically demanding sports there is and, according to an ATP article, Nadal ran an average of 3300 feet per set. So, what does the Spaniard eat to keep up with the demands of tennis?

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The Rafael Nadal diet: What does the King of Clay eat?

Unlike other sports stars, Nadal's diet is not a fussy one. In a 2016 cooking demonstration with chef Marcus Samuelsson, Nadal said that his ideal in-competition meals always consist of seafood. A true blue Mediterranean, it is no surprise that Rafa prefers to have a seafood-rich diet. He is also an avid chef and seems to cook whenever he gets time. He has multiple pictures on his social media profile that serve as the evidence of his love for cooking and eating. According to reports in Forbes and Business Insider, Rafa's diet includes everything from steamed fish to shrimp dumplings.

Apart from seafood, the Nadal diet consists of another Spanish speciality - olives. He once said that he loves eating olives because of the health benefits. He also admitted that it probably wasn't healthy to eat as many olives as he ate in a day, but he ate them regardless. Sticking to his no-fuss mantra, Nadal has confessed that he loves indulging himself in really rich but slightly unhealthy treats like chocolate and the popular Spanish dish Paella.  

It is also known that Rafael Nadal enjoys eating meat but does not like cheese. One of his favourites is another Spanish delight - salted Iberian ham. As with any balanced diet, he also eats a good amount of fruits and vegetables in his diet. In a 2015 interview at the Australian Open, Nadal also said that he likes Chinese food. "I love the shrimp dumplings," he said to Australian Open TV.

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In-game Nadal diet

As someone who has played several 5-hour long matches in his lifetime, Rafa knows the importance of fuelling up well in-game. Tennis players can be seen eating little energy boosters and drinking plenty of fluids in the middle of each set. For Nadal, this time is used to rehydrate by drinking lots of water and hypotonic beverages like Recuperat-ion Sport. According to a report in Forbes, Rafa's preferred drink after a brutal match is filtered seawater. He is also frequently seen eating bananas to fuel up during matches. 

Rafa will next be seen playing at Rome Masters 2020 and French Open 2020. At Rome Masters 2020, he has advanced to the third round after an easy victory over compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta. He will face the winner of the Milos Raonic - Dusan Lajovic match next. 

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Image Credits: Rafael Nadal Instagram