I don`t know why, but I love the dog eat dog nature of tennis. It`s real, it`s brutal and there`s no hiding place - it's like a one to one street fight. I love the intensity that comes with knowing you walk off court either a winner or a loser. It`s daunting but very exciting. There is no one to blame except yourself, no one cares who comes second.

The only person that I have met, that I have ever been in awe of, is Eddie Vedder.

Once the US Open is over in the States, mainstream America doesn't really follow tennis, unless you are a true tennis fan.

If I win and play well, then the ranking will take care of itself. Defending points is really not a problem. Just go out and play and not worry about it.

I guess I get my strength from my legs, which are also important in tennis.

Tennis is seen all around the world; if I am home or anywhere in the country, United States, people will stare.

By putting pressure on myself to develop a great game, I had less pressure to win. These days, I tell kids that the way I grew up, it wasn't about winning. It was about playing well, about playing the "right" way. That approach helped me enjoy the game and develop mine to its maximum potential.