Rafael Nadal

I appreciate a lot in this life; the things you cannot buy. Life is only once.

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.

It is important to recognize the small successes.

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.

I have no sense of humor about losing

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.

Be honest, brutally honest. That is what’s going to maintain relationships.

Partnerships must have loyalty and integrity at their core.

Women talk about stuff on the way to the valet that it takes men 10 years to admit to each other. The depth at which women talk to and about each other is invaluable to me. With your really, really close good friends you do that fast.

Is it really possible to tell someone else what one feels?

A bond as important as that of a husband and wife, is the bond between siblings.

You know the funny thing, I don’t get along with rich people. I get along with the middle class and the poor people better than I get along with the rich people.

Why do so many marriages fail? Because nobody gets taught how to be married. We’re not taught how to pick a mate, or why to pick a mate; we don’t know how to manage our emotions once we’re in a marriage; we don’t know how to resolve marital conflict. Married people have never been taught why they or their spouses feel the way they do and act the way they do. Nobody has ever taught us the fundamentals.

I would never buy Ivana any decent jewels or pictures. Why give her negotiable assets?

If I’m not interested in a woman, I’m straight-forward. Right after sex, I usually say, ‘I can’t do this anymore. Thanks for coming over!’

You can repeat the mistakes of your parents’ marriage or you can go out of your way not to repeat them.

Certain guys tell me they want women of substance, not beautiful models. It just means they can’t get beautiful models.

You don’t have to love everything a person does to love that person.

Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.

I like the idea of being alone. I like the idea of often being alone in all aspects of my life. I like to feel lonely. I like to need things.

Young love is a flame; very pretty, often very hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. The love of the older and disciplined heart is as coals, deep burning, unquenchable.