In a tell all interview to Sports Klub, Janko Tipsarevic has revealed some intriguing habits belonging to some of the top athletes in the world. Tipsarevic claims that David Ferrer used to smoke and Nadal drank three litres of Coca Cola daily while he was among the top three players in the world.
“Ferrer used to smoke, but he stopped 3-4 years ago. I remember before our match at the World Tour Finals in London, we were in the toilet peeing and he was doing it with a cigarette in his mouth´, Tipsarevic said. ´Long time ago, Nadal used to eat a jar of Nutella and drink like 3 litres of Coca-Cola daily when he was number 2, number 3 in the world.”
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“One third of Bayern Munich FC smokes, I know because I have been to a restaurant with them. It is true, there are things that are not the best for an athlete. I would never coach someone who drinks or smokes, but everybody has a path. (Nadal drank three litres of Coca Cola daily) For instance, Ferrer makes everything up by practicing around the clock.”
“And there is less and less such things, players worry about what they eat, what they do a whole lot more. They started investing in themselves – there is no point dragging along a physio, fitness and a tennis coach if you are going to smoke a box of cigarette per day. That is why “older“ players get good results, the bar has gone further.”
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He also spoke about Doping in the game and the authenticity of the tests.
“The tests are indeed real tests, I know that because they even came to my house, wherever you can imagine. I think doping in tennis is blown out of proportion, it does exist, but in small perecentages. I am sure that the best players don’t use doping. Here is my theory, it is quite simple”
“When someone gives a sample of blood or urine, that sample goes to WADA. If it is tested positive, there has to be a number of people who will risk their career, reputation and a huge salary and say for instance: “Rafael Nadal isn’t using doping, put it away somewhere so that nobody sees it.”
“If someone takes that risk and it somehow leaks, life of that person in destroyed, and on theother hand he does not have any benefit from hiding such a thing. Information that a top athlete is using doping has to go directly to the president of WADA and ITF. It’s a ridiculous risk for absolutely no gain, one can go to prison because of it.”
