Rafael Nadal

I live where I would like to live. I live in Majorca, Spain, and I am not sure there are better places.

I think the tennis is only a game. You can lose. You can win. After that? In life, there are much more important things than tennis.

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

You just try to play tough and focus point for point. Sounds so boring, but it’s the right thing to do out there.

It was a very unbelievable day for me. It’s special to begin the clay season like this. Beating Roger in the final is even more special, it’s great.

The worst thing is to play too defensively. I need to play with more intensity and be aggressive. If I do that, I’m going to do well because my touch is good.

The thing, when you’re down two sets to love, is to stay calm, even though it’s hard, because people are freaking out, people are worried for you.

I need to improve, I want to improve, and to be able to stay in London and play on grass before Wimbledon is a very good opportunity for me.

If you don’t lose, you cannot enjoy the victories. So I have to accept both things.

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

I don’t really care what the man on the street thinks. I never did anything to please him in the first place, and I’m not going to start now.

No one is perfect. Everybody does stupid things.

Gaudio is playing very well. Today he played at an incredible level, especially on his backhand. But I am only thinking of my own game, and of playing well.

Certainly I would like to have some of the qualities of other players and obviously from Roger Federer. But believe me, there are plenty of other abilities that are important, particularly mindset and strength.

The glory is being happy. The glory is not winning here or winning there. The glory is enjoying practicing, enjoy every day, enjoying to work hard, trying to be a better player than before.

I’m always searching for new music, and I change what I listen to on a regular basis.

[Roger Federer] We have a guy from Switzerland who is just playing the game in a way I haven’t seen anyone – and I mean anyone – play before. How fortunate we are to be able to see that. If he stays healthy and motivated – and the wonderful feel he has stays with him – he is the kind of guy who can overtake the greatest.

I’d rather lose an argument than get into a long discussion in order to win it.

Sport has the power to change the world.

Where do you go when you’re the best in the world? What’s next?

You fight, you try your best, but if you lose, you dont have to break five racquets and smash up the locker room. You can do those things, but when youve finished, nothings changed. Youve still lost. If something positive came from that, I probably would do it. But I see only negativity.