Carlos Alcaraz takes a very different approach to a diet than his older foe Novak Djokovic (Image: Getty)

Carlos Alcaraz’s relaxed approach to diet differs massively from that of legendary tennis star Novak Djokovic. Young Spaniard Alcaraz has emerged as one of the flagbearers for men’s tennis in the past year.

He lifted his second Wimbledon title in the summer, making it four Grand Slam triumphs by the age of 21. His opponent in the final on Centre Court, Djokovic, has been bested two years on the bounce in the major tournament.

He often struggles to get the better of his younger adversary whenever the two meet on the ATP Tour – despite a stunning performance at the Paris Olympics to claim gold. However, the two take very different stances on their diet, with Alcaraz’s carefree approach contesting a very strict regiment enforced by the 37-year-old Serbian.

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“I don’t have any restrictions,” Alcaraz revealed to ATP. “Whatever I want, I eat it. I try to take care of myself a lot, but if something I like comes along, I’m happy to eat it. There are people who are inhibited by some foods, but I am not.

“I eat a lot of pasta, which is good for an athlete. And I’m lucky that I eat a lot, but I don’t gain much weight in terms of fat. I also eat a lot of salad and rice.”

Djokovic, on the other hand, has gone through various stages with his diet, having discovered in early 2010 that he had a gluten intolerance after meeting with a doctor. The Serbian icon has now eliminated gluten from his diet and went in-depth about what he eats and when.

Alcaraz admitted that his diet is not strict (Image: Getty)

“The principles of decision-making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I’m trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can,” Djokovic revealed in his autobiography.

“Physically, I couldn’t compete,” he added, speaking on his performance before a dietary switch. “Mentally I didn’t feel like I belonged on the same court as the best players in the game. But then, lo and behold, I made some changes and that transformed everything.

“I don’t like to eat any food that requires a lot of energy for digestion, especially for the first part of the day – that’s when I need the most energy for my training.”