Even if I have already peaked, I have to believe I can improve. I wake up every morning, and go to practice, with the illusion that I'm going to get better that day.
— Rafael Nadal
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.
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 always had the theory that the most important thing is be happy, enjoy what are you doing, and be fresh mentally.
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.
Every year I go to Broadway to see a musical - I like the music. I saw 'Mamma Mia;' I saw 'Les Miserables;' I saw 'Phantom of the Opera' like six, seven times.
Tennis is a hard sport. There is a lot of competition all year and you play alone.
I always wanted to be honest with myself and to those who have had faith in me.
I tried to find a solution to the problem that I had, tried to find a way to start playing better.
I'm really, really emotional.
Last four months were great for me, was probably one of the best four months of my career, playing unbelievable in the clay court season.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
New York is a special place; it's a city that I love.
I am a guy who likes to do what I am doing with passion, whether it's a soccer match with friends or golf.
It's important to have people around you with enough confidence to say if you are not acting in a good way. Normally, when you are at the top, people say everything is fantastic. Probably in that moment it is what you want to hear, but it's best to be reminded how to act properly.
I will do as I usually do. Tomorrow is going to be a day like any other day.
It's more a tennis problem than a mental problem. The transition is difficult. It depends how much time you have. Playing on grass can sometimes be a bit of a lottery.
You know, a lot of things changed. What never changed is the illusion to keep playing tennis, the illusion to keep doing well the things, and the illusion to be in a good position of the ranking and play these kind of matches.
That's painful always to lose.
Is only a tennis match. At the end, that's life. There is much more important things.
It's hard to say, 'I don't believe in God.' I would love to know if God exists. But it's a very difficult thing for me to believe.
I always like to do the things that I think are right. I am not trying to be a model, I am trying to be myself and do the right things. If what I am doing is a model, or is an example, is the right example, I am very happy, but I don't pretend that.
I am not the most courageous guy in the world outside of the court.
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 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 always work with a goal - and the goal is to improve as a player and a person. That, finally, is the most important thing of all.
My parents' divorce made an important change in my life. It affected me.
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.
It's not the time to look for excuses.
I just was in the second round. That's painful, because always is tough to lose, but well, that's sport. You win, you lose.
You just try to play tough and focus point for point. Sounds so boring, but it's the right thing to do out there.
