Croatian tennis player Donna Vekic may have been knocked out of Wimbledon but based on her recent social media posts, she’s still in high spirits (she went on vacation, and well-deserved). Vekic, 28, previously shared a picture of herself wearing black pants and a matching long-sleeved shirt, sitting on the grass while holding a tennis racket. “Hello you 🌱🫶🏻,” she captioned the post. What’s next for the athlete? Here’s what her diet and wellness regimen looks like.
Vekic enjoys experimenting with plant-based recipes. “Nutrition is very important—up to 70 percent of helping you play your best—but we can also get away with taking a few liberties here and there,” she told Tennis.com. “It all comes down to timing, and when you’re eating right. I really like @deliciouslyella, who posts about plant-based living. I’m not vegan, but I love her recipes and products.”
Vekic works with professionals to make sure she is getting all the nutrients she needs. “I started working with a nutritionist in the last off-season, so I had a set meal plan, but it’s a bit trickier to follow it when I’m on the road,” she told Tennis.com. “I have to eat a lot in restaurants, which can make it harder to plan ahead, as opposed to when I’m able to cook at home. I try to eat about two hours before a match, but if the match before mine goes longer than planned, I will have a small snack, like an energy bar or a banana. Afterward, I try not to eat carbs for dinner, and I try to eat my dinner early because I think it helps me sleep better.”
Vekic focuses on recovery after matches. “My post-match routine will change quite dramatically depending on if I win or lose,” she told Metro UK. “If I get knocked out, I usually just rush to the locker room, shower and get out as fast as possible. Hopefully I’ll win on Tuesday and then it’s the usual bike, stretching, ice bath and having a bit of food somewhere in between as well as media duties. Providing I don’t finish too late, I’ll take my team out for a nice dinner but if not then it’s usually straight to bed.”
Vekic loves cooking her mother’s famous lasagne, and knows exactly what her ultimate post Grand-Slam meal would be. “I would probably have a drink first, and then order a burger, followed by a Nutella pizza for dessert,” she told Tennis.com.
Vekic had a rough time overcoming injuries. “Those couple of years were very tough. I didn’t think I was ever going to come back to the level that I even had last year,” she told AP. “So this now, reaching my best result ever at a Slam, I’m really proud of myself, of the work that I’ve done, of the work that my team has done. I’m very thankful to them for believing in me when I didn’t.”