Rafael Nadal is not a believer in diets, prefers to eat fish, olives and chocolates

The world of sport places premium importance on fitness, with athletes and players expected to stick to fitness standards in order to compete efficiently. In tennis, many players follow rigorous diets and programs which track when and how much one is eating, with such programs designed to include calorie counting and give an indication of nutritional balance.

However, tennis superstar and world number five Rafael Nadal is not a big fan of such fads, instead preferring to keep his meals simple and fresh.

"It's nothing very professional. Fish is my favourite, grilled with olive oil. And I try to have some carbs, maybe pasta or rice. I try to eat nothing heavy before competition", Nadal said, as quoted by CNBC.

The 30-year-old, from Majorca, Spain, is an avid fisher, admitting that he loves to eat the fish he catches himself. He also revealied that his guilty pleasures in life are olives and chocolate.

"I love fishing and being in the sea with boats. I normally go with lines or spear guns. I love sea bass. It's great when your on the boat and catch a sea bass, and have dinner with it. I love eating olives. They're healthy, but maybe not if you eat as much as me. And I like chocolate."

The former world number one has had an injury plagued season in 2015, with back and knee problems limiting his participation in tennis events around the world. Nadal also pulled out of Wimbledon 2016, due to a persistent wrist injury which is still a cause for concern.

The Spaniard who battled through the pain to win the gold medal in the men's doubles event with partner Marc Lopez is excited about playing in the upcoming US Open, claiming he is fit and raring to go.

"I feel great. There is nothing like the US Open. I think we are in a great moment. The sport is growing a lot, we have a lot of sponsors, the tournaments are bigger, and that's a great thing", Nadal added further.