The most important thing is definitely success on the tennis court. I know that if I win matches, everything else will fall into place, and the money and sponsors will follow.
When I was a baby, I was on a tennis court every day with my mom and with my brothers, so I would pick up the balls for them when they'd play, and then sometimes I'd play with them, but not very often.
I'm only superstitious on the tennis court.
I grew up playing tennis. My father has a tennis court at his home in Bel Air and I was always watching him on the tennis court as a kid, he was a fanatic. I started playing seriously around ninth grade.
When I was born, I lived with my dad for two years. I was always watching him on a tennis court as a kid, he was a fanatic. Boris Becker would come to the house and play chess.
On the tennis court, one needs a cool temperament, tremendous ball sense, reflexes, speed, hand-eye co-ordination, power, timing and peak physical fitness. Off the court, the player and support team need skills in planning, execution, travel, an ability to raise funds when needed, and several other talents.
I train Monday through Saturday. I usually have fitness training for 90 minutes, then I'm on the tennis court for 3 to 4 hours.
From the outside, Rick Rubin's house above Zuma Beach is a generic millionaire beach home. There's a rarely used tennis court and a circular drive.
I got my first tennis racket on my seventh birthday. And because we had a tennis court in our backyard, I played every day. By ten I was playing competitively.
Tennis court, the results, yes, it gives me a feeling of accomplishment and knowing that all the work I put in is working. It's a great feeling. But happiness is something way bigger than tennis.
