Carlos Alcaraz's bizarre go-to meal he eats before every match
Like many sportspeople, Carlos Alcaraz has a unique, ritualistic meal he tends to dig into to aid his game, and indulgent items he tends to enjoy once in a blue moon.
The 23-year-old is currently in a race against time to get fit to defend his title at the US Open this September, having picked up a wrist injury that sidelined him since the Barcelona Open in April.
Earlier this month, he announced his intention to skip the ongoing Cincinnati Open, where US star Amanda Anisimova recently went viral for drinking a ‘mystery bevvy’ fans were convinced was alcohol.
His surprising withdrawal meant skipping crucial tune-up matches, with tour director Bob Moran stating: "We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to playing tournaments as soon as possible. We wish him the best with his recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to Cincinnati in the future.”
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When Alcaraz does eventually return to the court, he, like Erling Haaland and Sam Kerr, is likely to eat a pre-match meal that is rich in carbohydrates.
However, unlike the pair, who choose homemade lasagne and spaghetti sandwiches, respectively, the Spanish tennis player prefers something a little sweeter.
What Carlos Alcaraz eats before and during a tennis match
The night before taking to court, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion dines on sushi or another form of fish and rice.
Matchday breakfast is likely to be fresh fruit, toast, eggs (’and, definitely, coffee’), with the tennis player eating again around an hour to an hour and a half before a match.
In an interview with the ATP Tour in 2022, Alcaraz announced his special pre-match concoction was a plate of gluten-free and ‘normal’ pasta mixed with a cocoa cream called Ambrosía.
The whole foods item, made with dates, cocoa, hazelnuts and extra virgin olive oil, provides the star with a ‘combination of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and natural sweetness’.
According to Men’s Health Australia, gluten-free is Alcaraz’s main diet of choice, with his physiotherapist, Juanjo Moreno suggesting it would help him ‘improve his on-court performance’.
During a game, Alcaraz’s team packs bars made with dates, egg whites and guarana into his kit bag with bananas.
“I’ve been eating that for a long time, like a year and a half, and I really do like it,” he stated.
During tournaments, the Spaniard is unlikely to deviate from his ‘strict diet’, but you can expect him to be much more lenient when home with his parents in Murcia.
“I usually indulge a little in certain things, but if I don’t have days off during tournaments, I stick strictly to my diet,” he claimed as per Mundo Deportivo.
Though he added to ATP that if he fancies something, he will eat it.
“I'll eat whatever I want... If something comes my way that I like, I'm happy to take it.”
His go-to off-season item? A hard, 3am favourite of many alcohol drinkers.
“Kebabs. I eat them a lot when I’m in Murcia. But really, I’m very simple. I don’t think I’d surprise anyone with what I eat,” the two-time Wimbledon winner confessed.
The US Open commences on 23 August and is set to conclude on 13 September.
Ella Scott