Rafael Nadal

I feel that love. I feel that energy. I always felt that energy when I’m playing in New York.

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

It is no longer enough to play very well. You need to be able to give an answer at all times and everywhere. You cannot hide. This has something to do with maturity, and that is something you only acquire over the years.

I still take advice from my mum on what clothes look good on me. I used to listen to her a lot more, but I’ve started to choose my own things from time to time.

You fight, you try your best, but if you lose, you don’t have to break five racquets and smash up the locker room. You can do those things, but when you’ve finished, nothing’s changed. You’ve still lost. If something positive came from that, I probably would do it. But I see only negativity.

I’m lucky enough to do what I like for work – not everyone’s that fortunate.

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.

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.

Don’t think about being the number one in the world, try instead to get through today’s program as well as you can. Then we will see whether one day you’ll end up as number one or number 100.

I became a player who goes to a lot of effort while training, who can rely on his will and his mental strengths.

I am afraid of a lot of things. A dog. I could be afraid of a dog that’s upset, for example. And on the tennis courts, maybe on the outside I look fearless, but on the inside, I’m scared. There’s not one player in the world who isn’t nervous before matches. Especially important matches.

In tennis, because of the way it’s scored, I don’t think that scoring one point out of luck is ever decisive in winning. But, of course, it depends on the moment.

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.

If you are playing bad you are going to lose here, on clay, on ice, or on the beach.

Two weeks ago, I was in a fantastic situation, winning at Roland Garros. Now, losing in the first round, it’s tough. The tour continues. Life continues. This is a sport of victories, not a sport of losses. Nobody remembers the losses. I don’t want to remember the loss.

[on Roman Abramovich] We were never friends – José Mourinho

We should try to teach the young people values that are useful to them whether they become professional athletes or not.

The first match is never easy. To play three sets with some important moments, that’s important for the confidence.

We’ll try and be very aggressive, we’ll try and speed up and change gears, and we’ll see who’s going to win.

Some people may learn something from the way I play tennis. But there are also players who are better than me in certain techniques.

In Majorca, I can be myself. I go to the supermarket and the cinema, and I am just Rafa. Everyone knows me, and it is no big deal. I can go all day – no photographs.