Rafael Nadal

In your career you have a lot of good moments and bad ones. The important thing is to have enough motivation to keep working all the days with humility and trying to be a better player than before. I am going to try to continue doing this.

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.

It is unbelievable to me that I can win against the best player in the world, against one of the best in history. It’s very important and very special for me, especially because I was three months off the court.

I only ever run when there’s some point to it – say, if it’s in a game of tennis.

It’s already a great feeling to be third on the list. To get past Borg, I will have to reach the final in Barcelona next week. It won?t be easy. I could lose any day. But if I am 100 per cent I know I have a great chance of winning.

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.

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

I had the pleasure of competing at the Olympic Games and at Wimbledon and was fortunate enough to win the gold medal in both events,

If somebody says I am better than Roger, I think this person doesn’t know anything about tennis.

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.

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.

Stay healthy, do sports and above all have fun while doing sport. Competing or just for fun, whatever, simply enjoy and try your best. Working hard, working well with achievable goals normally pays off. Believe in the people that are with you and listen to those who have more experience.

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.

Honesty, willingness to exert oneself, friendship – all these things shaped me too.

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.

I only ever run when there’s some point to it – say, if it’s in a game of tennis.

The record of Borg and Vilas? I have thought about it.

I always had the theory that the most important thing is be happy, enjoy what are you doing, and be fresh mentally.

What distinguishes tennis is respect for one’s opponent, one’s conduct on the court.

My parents’ divorce made an important change in my life. It affected me.

I have no sense of humor about losing