Rafael Nadal

I have always tried to avoid regrets. Could I have done differently some things in my career? Maybe.

I have the same bedroom I’ve always had. It’s clean and tidy when I get home, and after two or three days it gets messy and my mother nags me.

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

The worst thing is to play too defensively. I need to play with more intensity and be aggressive. If I do that, I’m going to do well because my touch is good.

I became a player who goes to a lot of effort while training, who can rely on his will and his mental strengths.

It is no longer enough to play very well. You need to be able to give an answer at all times and everywhere. You cannot hide. This has something to do with maturity, and that is something you only acquire over the years.

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

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

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 feel that love. I feel that energy. I always felt that energy when I’m playing in New York.

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.

I like a lot of sports. Especially football – it’s my favourite sport. My uncle played football in Barcelona for nine years and played for Spain in three World Cups.

I was in the tennis bubble. I wasn’t thinking about the big picture. I didn’t notice what they said on television, I wasn’t reading any papers. I had a coach and a manager, and they kept me in the bubble.

I love the crowds in Miami. I feel that is one of the tournaments where I get more support. That helps me a lot.

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.

Always I believe that I can play better. But I am happy.

I just wanted to see how the shorts felt again.

I am afraid of a lot of things. A dog. I could be afraid of a dog that’s upset, for example. And on the tennis courts, maybe on the outside I look fearless, but on the inside, I’m scared. There’s not one player in the world who isn’t nervous before matches. Especially important matches.

I want to be remembered as a great athlete. As a boxing champion.

Our strategy [at Chelsea] is to bring up our own players through the academy, which we have invested a lot in, and hope it gives results.

I love basketball.