Djokovic leaves no stone unturned in pursuit of perfection, but secrecy with drink mixture draws scrutiny
When Rafael Nadal’s drink list is leaked — no less than seven gin, three vermouths, four tonics and even a couple of beers in his three sets of mixed drinks — it sparks a massive debate. Should it really be that high? Shouldn’t it be lower? Or is this just the usual blabber-mouth of all the ATP Tour players?
It’s all part of the tradition. They like to let us know what they are up to on a daily basis during those three weeks of training, and it’s become so predictable that it’s almost boring. But what I really want to know is whether there’s a logical reason why Nadal, a three-time Grand Slam champion and three time Olympic quarterfinalist, now has seven different drinks listed on his menu at the start of a tournament.
How is that possible?
In a word – perfection.
With two weeks remaining, Nadal has to win every single match before the season ends one way or another. To keep himself calm, he has to keep his mind occupied with the big picture while also having a few surprises ready on the menu.
So he has drinks that will give him a boost before matches, along with one specific drink that might help him reach his targets after a match or two.
“The mix has to be tailored to your individual fitness levels,” he said, in an interview with German newspaper. “I’m not very good with this; it just doesn’t work well for me.
“I don’t like them, and when I don’t like something, I don’t like it. I like to have a clear, fast flow. I can’t drink all the time, although I enjoy a liquid life.”
Nadal is famous for being a very fast drinker, and in just his third tournament in a row, he’s already changed his drink mix in two sets.
How is he doing it again and again and again?
“This question always comes up. And I know the answer,” he answered. “I think one of the keys to it is that every
