Q & R avec Rafa: it's time to buy a camera

Hola Rafa, I am thinking of learning to play tennis after years of watching. What advice/tips can you give me to get me started? Clare

RN: The first thing is to enjoy, to have fun and be patient with your improvement.

Dude, you have the coolest gear on tour. How is your wardrobe picked for each tournament? Jorge, Miami FL

RN: It is picked way in advance. We decide it with Nike months before.

Hola Rafa, congratulations on your victory over Gianni Mina. Did it feel a little strange to wear a watch for the first time during a match, or did you not notice any difference than usual? Thanks a million and good luck. Niamh in Ireland

RN: Not really since I had been practicing for a long time now. It has been almost two years since we started working on it and I have been practicing for some months now. It is not that I started on Tuesday with it.

Hi Rafa, you are ALWAYS being photographed on the receiving end of a camera - do you enjoy taking photos yourself and do you take photos of the tournaments you visit so that you can look back on them in future years? Thank you for bringing excitement back into the land of tennis! Sandra

RN: Not really but it is a good idea. Will start I suppose. Thanks for the tip.

You're playing with new strings this year and, to my untrained eye, it seems you might be hitting the ball harder and longer. What was the aim of the new strings and do you think they're working for you? Vamos for Roland Garros! Rachel from Berkhamsted

RN: Yes, absolutely.

Hi Rafa, it's so good to have you blogging and answering questions again, I really look forward to it, muchas gracias! Do you have any dreams or ambitions, not related to tennis, something you'd love to do but haven't done yet? Juliette Westbrook-Finch

RN: Many thanks for your comments. I don't really have these kind of dreams. I think more every day on my goals instead and work hard to achieve them.

Hi Rafa, I would like to know if sometimes you ever have to sit back and pinch yourself to try and comprehend what you have achieved so far in your career? Taryn, Australia

RN: I suppose I will do that in the future but definitely not now.

Greetings from Serbia! If you had a chance to choose any court in any tournament to be named after you which one would that be? The one from Monte Carlo? Thanks and good luck at RG! Marija
Hvala

RN: Not sure I deserve that honor. I am too young.