Rafael Nadal

I have lived my whole life with high intensity.

Hard courts are very negative for the body. I know the sport is a business and creating these courts is easier than clay or grass, but I am 100 per cent sure it is wrong.

I think when you compete every week, when you play under pressure daily, you find your rituals to be 100 percent focused on what you’re doing.

I am a guy who likes to do what I am doing with passion, whether it’s a soccer match with friends or golf.

I always think about victory. It was very important for me to stay in this final. If I play my best I have a chance (against Federer). I’m going to play aggressively, with determination.

I have been learning English on the road since I started when I was 15, so it is a slow process but making some progress. Now I think I am much more comfortable with my English. However, it is difficult, still, when I speak about something that is not tennis.

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.

Tennis is beautiful when you can see tactics, when players don’t just react but are able to act and think.

I’m not the best player in the history of tennis. I think I’m amongst the best. That’s true. That’s enough for me.

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

Andre Sa is playing close to his potential – maybe even above it.

I love the winning, I can take the losing, but most of all I Love to play.

No one is perfect. Everybody does stupid things.

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.

For me, pressure is bird flu. I’m feeling a lot of pressure with the problem in Scotland. It’s not fun and I’m more scared of it than football.

Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one.

Our strategy [at Chelsea] is to bring up our own players through the academy, which we have invested a lot in, and hope it gives results.

I play because I have fun, if I don’t have fun on the court, there is something wrong. I am just a 19 year old boy that likes to do what he likes, nothing else.

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

Some people get very confused about my game. They think it’s better if the court is slow, because I have a good defence. But the faster it is, the better for me. My spin is more painful for my opponents, my aggressive game works better.

I think I am a complete player. I can play well on all the surfaces. For me, the clay might be easiest, but I am not a specialist on clay.