I've had a lot of luck. If I didn't I'd be washing bottles in Russia.

Roger [Federer], he brought tennis... one level higher. Normally he toys with everybody. With all respect to other players, he does whatever he wants on the court against them. It's incredible what kind of game he can play.

We live because of the dreams.

All in all, I think Kazan is Russia's sportiest city after Moscow, leaving all the others far behind.

It's a pity that the tennis is really going down the drain. Every year it's getting worse and worse and worse. There has to be a radical change, and I hope it will be really soon.

I was very competitive. I hated losing. No matter what, I had to win.

But when I'm losing a few matches, suddenly 'It's his fault', 'He doesn't want to practice', 'He doesn't need it', 'He doesn't care'. And when everything goes well, there are people coming behind the stone, saying, 'Oh, my God, he's back finally, and I was there to help him out'.