Pickle juice, a quirky mix of salt, vinegar, and water, has long been a remedy for muscle cramps, but its rise to sports stardom reached new heights after the French Open 2025. Carlos Alcaraz, the young Spanish tennis sensation, was seen sipping pickle juice during the exhausting five-hour and 29-minute match with Jannik Sinner, marking the longest final at Roland-Garros.
Cameras fought Alcaraz, reaching for a small bottle of the salty liquid between games, not for refreshment, but as a tactical weapon against muscular cramps.
This action wasn’t because of a superstition. Previously, in a game against Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz’s body betrayed him with severe cramps, costing him a victory. Learning from that painful session, he and his team added this sour goodness to his match-day, hoping to save him from future disappointments.
Juanjo Moreno, Alcaraz’s physio, explained, “They are small bottles with pickle juice, plus salts and vitamins; he (Alcaraz) takes it as a prevention of possible cramps.”
But does it actually work? Let’s see.
Does The Pickle Juice Actually Work?
The science behind pickle juice’s effectiveness is intriguing and still evolving. While it’s rich in electrolytes like sodium and potassium, its rapid action against cramps isn’t due to simple rehydration or salt replacement. Instead, research suggests the following:
- Neurological Reset: The most prominent theory is that the vinegar in this juice activates receptors in the mouth and throat, sending signals through the nervous system that interrupt the misfiring, causing cramps, a kind of neurological reset.
- Speed of Relief: Studies have shown that athletes who consume this sour liquid during a cramp can recover significantly faster, sometimes within 85 seconds, compared to water, which takes much longer.
- How to Use: Experts recommend taking juice at the first sign of cramping and swishing it in the mouth for 20-30 seconds before swallowing or spitting it out, as this triggers the needed reflex. Drinking it before exercise does not appear to prevent cramps.
Do Other Sports Use Pickle Juice?
Alcaraz might be the face of the pickle juice trend in tennis, but he’s not alone. Its use has been a quick fix for cramps throughout history across sports:
American Football: Over two decades ago, the Philadelphia Eagles famously used juice to combat cramps during a sweltering game in Texas.
Soccer: England’s football squad incorporated it into their anti-cramp tactics at Euro 2024, and Arsenal’s Lucas Torreira was spotted with a bottle labelled “pickle juice” in 2019.
Hockey: The Indian women’s hockey team used it during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Track & Field: Indian decathlete Tejaswin Shankar swears by it for quick relief.
Other Tennis Players: Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz’s French Open rival, was also seen drinking what appeared to be pickle juice during their final.
While Alcaraz didn’t invent the pickle juice phenomenon, he surely made it a trend.
Also Read: Jannik Sinner Breaks Silence On French Open Final 2025 Heartbreak
