Sometimes, a diet is just a diet, and an opinion about said diet is just an opinion about that diet, not to be extrapolated to anyone that follows it, especially one’s on-court rival.

During his R1 post-victory presser, Rafa was asked by a member of the press to express his opinion on the gluten-free diet. His answer was sincere and direct. He spoke at length about it, stating that it wasn’t for him:

“At the end of the day, all the small things can help if you don’t get crazy. I always had the theory that the most important thing is be happy, enjoy what are you doing, and be fresh mentally.

If have the gluten-free diet or have the perfect diet or these kind of things, which are supposed to change you or be a big sacrifice, but mean you are not happy the rest of the day, not being fresh mentally because that’s a lot of effort for you, better don’t do it.

Not all the players who had success had the same diet or had the same style of play. Everybody’s different.

Now it seems like the gluten-free diet is great. After three years or four years we will find another thing that will be great, too. Then the gluten-free will not work anymore.”

Those suffering from celiac disease follow the gluten free diet to alleviate symptoms, and in recent years, it has become popular among others without the illness as well, including Novak Djokovic. Nowhere in Rafa’s statement does he say anything disrespectful about either those that need to be on the diet, or those that choose to be on it. He seems to talk about the “fad” factor of it (remember when everyone was on the Atkins diet, for example?). The quotes speak for themselves.