As far as fitness is concerned, you have to enjoy it, do good exercises, and integrate them into your tennis practice. The preparation for the season is as crucial as doing good blocks when switching from one surface to another.
I was never afraid of getting up early and practice for many hours. I often go to practice very early during winter.
I never dreamed to win a Grand Slam. It was never a dream because, for me, it was way too far.
I just have to play my best game. Not think about anything else - that is the only concern I have and that we should all have.
Stress is part of your career. You have to accept it and deal with it because there is a lot of emotion in tennis.
Those big matches, when you go through so much, are the best thing. Those matches are why you play tennis.
I have many good friends on tour.
I know if I want to have a chance to beat the top players, I need to be mentally ready for that.
I'm always trying to improve, always trying to be at my top, trying to push the limit.
You have to make sacrifices. You have to work out, to be relaxed in your mind, to focus on what you're doing.
Put the fight on the court, and you will have a chance to win.
The first years when I came to New York, everything was too big and too much. For me, it was too difficult here, but bit by bit, it became one of my favorite places.
There's only really one way to be at the top, and that's practicing - practicing well and practicing hard. And enjoying what you do, because if you don't enjoy it then, it's always tough to wake up and go practice and suffer on the court.
You can always learn when you lose.
When I was younger, I was a little bit fat. I wasn't, like, big-time fat; I was just overweight - maybe around when I was 13 or 14. At that time, I wasn't practicing that much; tennis was just a hobby. But it wasn't easy to feel that way.
You always need to try hard to find solutions. It's the same in life or tennis.
Doubt can be good because it means you want to improve: you want to be a better person, a better player. But it's also good not to have too many doubts on the court.
All you can do is trust your game and not wait for the opponent to give you the match.
I had a very happy childhood. I was lucky to grow up surrounded by nature and animals, to be outside all the time, and to work on a big farm with my dad.
By growing up at a center for people with special needs, I learned to always fight hard to achieve what I want. In this regard, I was incredibly lucky.
