Playing against better competition makes you better and more focused, so you can do what you have to, to win.

When I was on the U.S. men's indoor team, I was on the road 200 days of the year and sometimes in the worst conditions. We didn't have the food or luxuries we wanted. We didn't have a laundry service. So every night after the match, I soaped up my uniform in the shower. I learned to rely on outside things as little as possible, whether it was music or massage. I just got out of the habit of relying on outside things.

When I warm up now though—especially on center court—there is usually music playing, so I don't really mess with music.

I didn't want to use anything as a crutch and ever have excuses heading into a match.

It's hard to give a career like this up, when I tell my wife I'm going to the office, and it's the beach.

When you’ve done everything you can to train yourself for competition, you’ll sleep well when the tournament is over, win or lose.

I had a bunch of different colored hats I wore. When I started wearing a pink one, we won five or six tournaments in a row, so I stuck with it. It started as superstition and now it's tradition—my hideous trademark that I always wear.