With all the lead tape, my racquet is heavier than the model you're going to find off the rack. It's got most of its weight in the throat of the racquet; it's not too head-heavy. I don't like the feeling of a racquet that's so head-heavy I can't maneuver it around so well.
Some players are constantly changing racquets, fiddling with them. It's not that I'm not specific with my racquets, but I feel that I'm not as obsessed with some of that stuff as many of the other players are.
There haven't been that many players, both men and women, from South Africa breaking through on the pro level. It's not easy because you have to really start playing tennis at a young age and be exposed to the right competitions and other players from around the world.
Height is a funny thing in tennis because it definitely helps the serve, but it can hinder agility and movement. I think I have to spend a lot more time working on movement and flexibility than some of my shorter colleagues.
I think a lot of people fail to work on their sight, even though it's probably one of the most important sides to tennis. It's also about reactions and concentration and focus, and I think it's all very closely related.
If you go out there with doubts or unsure what's going to happen, it's not going to go your way.
Growing up, I did quite a bit of reading on the mental side. My dad, who coached me, had us doing a lot of different types of mental work, like visualization. I read a couple of tennis books that talked about calming your nerves, belief, visualization, relaxing, breathing.
Tennis is interesting. I feel, in terms of stats and stuff, maybe we're a little bit behind the curve, especially me just coming to the States and seeing stats used for, obviously, NFL, NBA, et cetera. Especially in baseball, there's stats galore.
Something I worked very hard on, especially last year, was being more outgoing on the court: recognising good points I'd played and trusting myself and my skills on the court. The fist pumps weren't necessarily to let my opponent know I was here, more to let myself know that I'm here.
I try not to get too political. But coming from South Africa, where apartheid was a huge problem, and there was lots of inequality, has shaped me in terms of how I view certain issues.
Changing public perceptions is important. Nobody bats an eyelid in a team sport when a player gets injured and is still getting paid. In tennis, there is nothing like that.
I've made two finals, and I'm up against guys who have won over 30 grand slams between them. But it's been great for the sport. You have to figure it out. Wishing for something else is futile.
Even though I'm 32, I feel like I'm playing my best-ever tennis and like the best years are ahead of me.
To make physical gains, you would go to the gym and lift weights. It's the same for the mental side. The work you put in on the mental side needs the same dedication as the physical side.
One of the biggest things I've worked on is how to play my best tennis every single time I walk on to the court.
There are so many positives and great memories I will take with me from Wimbledon 2018. It was always part of the dream to play in a Wimbledon final. It means so much for me to have played in the championship match.
Beating Roger Federer is a match I will remember for years to come. All my respect to him. Federer is arguably the greatest player to have ever played our sport, so beating him at Wimbledon was really special.
The work I do with my physiotherapist has been instrumental in keeping me healthy, and it's a big reason why I'm able to continue to improve my game.
I generally don't look at the draw. Next match.
For me myself, I feel it's always interesting gathering data. I have my team who do that. I think they feed me through specific things that I might find valuable.
