Rafael Nadal

The bad thing about the tennis calendar is how it is made and obligates you to play tournaments all year. If you want to achieve the most you can and go as high up in the rankings as you can, you have to play from the start to the finish because there are important tournaments from the beginning to the end.

More than anything, believe that you can win.

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

When one player is better than you, at this moment, the only thing you can do is work, try to find solutions and try to wait a little bit for your time. I’m going to wait and I’m going to try a sixth time. And if the sixth doesn’t happen, a seventh. It’s going to be like this. That’s the spirit of sport.

I love the beach. I love the sea. All my life I live within – in front of the sea.

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

Before, I wouldn’t have sacrificed anything for tennis but when I met Barbara it was different. I would have sacrificed tennis for Barbara.

I swim almost every day, a thousand meters.

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

I am not the most courageous guy in the world outside of the court.

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.

I am very lucky because when I come back home, I have a completely normal life. I can relax, playing golf, fishing – doing what I want. I know when I finish a tournament, I am going to relax at home.

It is important to recognize the small successes.

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 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.

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

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 drew my strength from fear. Fear of losing. I don’t remember the games I won, only the games I lost.

I love basketball.

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.

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