As soon as I step on the court I just try to play tennis and don't find excuses. You know, I just lost because I lost, not because my arm was sore.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
For the first couple of years I played really bad tennis. It was so bad that they booed me off the court.
Tennis is all about mental toughness, and you have to keep your head in the game. I make time to relax away from competition pressures, travel and intense training schedules to make sure I'm looking after myself. Taking time out with family and friends helps to maintain the work-life balance everyone needs.
Tennis is my life, obviously; I need to focus, I need to win. But it's not the only thing. I'm not going to play forever.
To meet my goals, I couldn't let up when I was playing tennis.
I play tennis five hours a week, from Monday to Friday, for one hour every day. I like to be fit. If I can't exercise, I feel bad - I need to sweat and run to feel like I'm in good shape.
I just try to stay positive and focused on the tennis, not let anything get to me, like crazy questions. But I'm tough, let me tell you, tough as nails.
As a tennis player, you have to get used to losing every week. Unless you win the tournament, you always go home as a loser. But you have to take the positive out of a defeat and go back to work. Improve to fail better.
There are days when I go out on the court and I feel like I can't miss a ball.
I have been playing tennis for a very long time. Tennis is my life. I see my life in other places, and there are other challenges for me.
It was very hard for me to practice and enjoy my tennis, and I didn't know the why, so I worked with psychologists to try and see what was happening. They pushed me really hard.