Rafael Nadal

For sure, with golf it’s not a physically demanding sport like tennis. That’s what makes tennis great – you combine both things. It’s a very mental sport and at the same time can be dramatically physical. But I do admire the mentality of sport more than the physicality because physical performance is much easier to practice than mental performance.

I learned during all my career to enjoy suffering.

You know, a lot of things changed. What never changed is the illusion to keep playing tennis, the illusion to keep doing well the things, and the illusion to be in a good position of the ranking and play these kind of matches.

The US player Andy Roddick reaches speeds of 220 kilometers per hour when he serves. If I train with him every day, I will later be at an advantage against a player whose service crosses the net at 190 kilometers per hour.

I normally listen to Spanish music – well, Latin music. I like a lot of singers.

There are many moments during a match when you are tense, wrestling with yourself. Tennis is a lesson in self-control.

Since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to do sports for a living. In the beginning, I played a lot of soccer, but in the end I chose tennis. I love sports in general … But tennis is my passion.

I used to wear sleeveless T-shirts all the time on court, but now I’ve got a brand new look – I’ve moved on to polo shirts. Sleeveless T-shirts give you real freedom of movement and they keep you cooler in matches, but I just thought it was time for a change.

Playing well or playing bad, I have to play aggressive. I must play aggressive.

I always wanted to be honest with myself and to those who have had faith in me.

As a tennis player you can win and you can lose, and you have to be ready for both. I practised self-control as a kid. But as you get older they both – winning and losing – get easier.

The young athletes are supposed to mature, to improve their personality.

Tennis has to be very careful.Not everyone is a computer, it is very good we have John McEnroe. I hope we have a couple more.

I am not the most courageous guy in the world outside of the court.

Above all, such sports as judo, in my view, teach people to relate to each other. They teach us to respect a partner, teach us to understand that an externally weak partner can not only put up worthy resistance, but, if you relax and take too much for granted, may even win.

Because, to give a goal, the ball must be 100% in and he must be 100% sure that the ball is in.

It should not be a child’s only goal to become the best player in the world. That would be a bad, a harmful attitude.

It’s good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling.

Even if I have already peaked, I have to believe I can improve. I wake up every morning, and go to practice, with the illusion that I’m going to get better that day.

I go to the gym, I swim daily and from time to time I meet with friends and do extra-curricular stuff.

If the plane moves, some turbulence, I am nervous flyer.