Rafael Nadal

I admire a lot of people, but in terms of sport I’ve always loved the mentality of Tiger Woods on a golf course. I always love his eyes when he’s setting himself and focusing on his decision; he has a really strong, focused face and believes that he can make the shot.

If the girls and boys have talent and feel like working on themselves, they can become champions.

When one gets beaten by somebody better, one has to know how to lose with humility. Sure, I could have served better. Sure, I could have hit my forehand harder. But the truth was this was like an avalanche, and there was no way to stop it.

I appreciate a lot in this life; the things you cannot buy. Life is only once. I am happy being here and all the things that are a risk I normally avoid.

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

It is the small steps which bring you satisfaction at the end of the day.

Sport has the power to change the world.

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 take pleasure in tennis and the hope that it requires.

Girls had never been important. I’d had a girlfriend or two and had liked them a lot but it wasn’t love, because my first love was tennis.

I’m getting excited before every single game. The trophy at the end is less important than the process itself.

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.

If I am not playing at one hundred percent, it is going to be very difficult for me to win.

I don’t have any idols, any heroes, nothing, no.

That’s the hard part about sport: as men we haven’t started to be in our prime, but as athletes we are old people. I needed support. I lost trust and did stupid things.

I’ve stayed calm when I’m winning and I’ve stayed calm when I’ve lost. Tennis is a sport where we have a lot of tournaments every week, so you can’t celebrate a lot when you have big victories, and you cannot get too down when you’re losing, as in a few days you’ll be in the next tournament and you’ll have to be ready with that.

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

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.

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

The guy comes up to the plate, there’s always a chance where he can get a grand slam and everybody forgets about all the times he missed.