Wimbledon 2016: Andy Murray to cut out the pre-match pasta at SW19

Scot felt unwell during matches at times during the French Open

Andy Murray returns to Wimbledon among the favourites this summer (Getty)

If having too many draining matches in the first week of the French Open was a major factor in his loss to Novak Djokovic in the final, Andy Murray has made a change to his regime in the hope of avoiding a repeat at Wimbledon next week. In his pre-match meals pasta will be strictly off the menu.

Having come back from two sets down to beat Radek Stepanek in the first round at Roland Garros, Murray had just as much trouble putting away his second-round opponent. Mathias Bourgue, the world No 164, also took Murray to five sets after the Scot felt unwell midway through the match.

“I try to avoid pasta before matches now,” Murray said. “If I ate it too close to a match and then drank a lot, I would feel like I was burping a lot during the match, which actually happened a lot at the French Open in the match against Bourgue. I didn’t feel that great during that match.”

Murray, who was also taken to four sets by Richard Gasquet and Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively in Paris, ended up spending five more hours on court than Djokovic. In the final Murray won the first set before Djokovic took charge of the next three.

The Scot has been consulting a nutritionist, Glenn Kearney, for more than a year now. Kearney, who is head of nutrition at the Lawn Tennis Association, previously worked with the All Blacks and with British Athletics. “When I know I am playing I tell the nutritionist and he sends a plan through for the day and then I just stick to it,” Murray said. “Often breakfast is the same. I normally have a smoothie with scrambled eggs and a bagel.

“Then during the day it changes. I don’t ever have salmon for dinner one night and then salmon the next night. I just have a more balanced diet than before, but I am eating the same things really. I think it can help a little bit.”

Andy Murray ran out of steam in losing to Novak Djokovic in the French Open final (GETTY)

Are there any guilty treats that Murray now denies himself? “Obviously eating chocolate and stuff before matches is not good,” he said. “I wouldn’t do anything like that. I wouldn’t do that anyway, but there is nothing that was in my diet that has changed drastically. It is just having it better planned and getting what I need at the right times of the day.”

Kearney told Standard Life’s withandy.com website that Murray was very careful with his diet. “His drive for improvement on the court means that he has a very high level of personal motivation and discipline,” Kearney said. “Andy eats in a disciplined way but this comes from within rather than me having to impose too many rules. Thankfully he has a good feel for balance in his lifestyle and will at times loosen the reins.”

He added: “Andy has an appreciation for real food and quality food so some obvious examples are fruits, which make good snacks alone or as part of a small meal.”

Kearney said that Murray consumed between 4,000 and 6,000 calories a day. “Like most people he enjoys desserts,” he said. “Who can resist some good ice cream now and again? Thankfully he is burning off these desserts with his demanding playing and training schedule.”