KEVIN ANDERSON

Most of the time, I'm playing right-handed players, so it's a little easier to adjust going back to a righty.

South Africa is a very pro-sporting country.

There haven't been that many players, both men and women, from South Africa breaking through on the pro level. It's not easy because you have to really start playing tennis at a young age and be exposed to the right competitions and other players from around the world.

I actually tried quite a few racquets in college before I turned pro.

Beating Roger Federer is a match I will remember for years to come. All my respect to him. Federer is arguably the greatest player to have ever played our sport, so beating him at Wimbledon was really special.

Even though I'm 32, I feel like I'm playing my best-ever tennis and like the best years are ahead of me.

I am definitely very excited to continue, and even though I will be turning 32 next year, I feel I am playing my best tennis, and I definitely feel my best results are still ahead of me.

Of course, on the road with me, I've got my coach, my own private physiotherapist. Back home, I have another coach who coaches me and also does all my racquets. I have a fitness trainer. I have a mental coach. It's a pretty big team.

By giving myself the freedom to lose, I actually began to play much better.

I think a lot of people fail to work on their sight, even though it's probably one of the most important sides to tennis. It's also about reactions and concentration and focus, and I think it's all very closely related.

Height is a funny thing in tennis because it definitely helps the serve, but it can hinder agility and movement. I think I have to spend a lot more time working on movement and flexibility than some of my shorter colleagues.

I think a lot of success I have had in the past is I have been able to work points, find the right time to come forward.

In a sport that's as close as tennis, I feel like anything that you can do to give yourself an edge is definitely worth doing.

I've had my wife traveling with me full time for four or five years, which has been huge for me, and we have our dog traveling with me as well, which I think is a really important part. We do travel so much, and we're away from home so often, it makes it feel like it's home a little bit, too.

Changing public perceptions is important. Nobody bats an eyelid in a team sport when a player gets injured and is still getting paid. In tennis, there is nothing like that.

Something I worked very hard on, especially last year, was being more outgoing on the court: recognising good points I'd played and trusting myself and my skills on the court. The fist pumps weren't necessarily to let my opponent know I was here, more to let myself know that I'm here.

Sometimes in a match, when things get tight, you want to feel like you can swing out on the ball and still have control.

No. 1 is definitely staying healthy. That is always going to be the biggest priority. I think when I am healthy, it gives me the opportunity to go out there and play the tennis I know that I can play.

I try not to get too political. But coming from South Africa, where apartheid was a huge problem, and there was lots of inequality, has shaped me in terms of how I view certain issues.

Tennis is interesting. I feel, in terms of stats and stuff, maybe we're a little bit behind the curve, especially me just coming to the States and seeing stats used for, obviously, NFL, NBA, et cetera. Especially in baseball, there's stats galore.

With all the lead tape, my racquet is heavier than the model you're going to find off the rack. It's got most of its weight in the throat of the racquet; it's not too head-heavy. I don't like the feeling of a racquet that's so head-heavy I can't maneuver it around so well.

Sometimes I use a bungee, one of those bungee cords that offer resistance training. I find that useful. Like, I'll go out and hit a backhand or a forehand with resistance. Because when you get rid of the resistance, you've recruited more muscle fibers, and it definitely helps with speed.

I generally don't look at the draw. Next match.

There are so many positives and great memories I will take with me from Wimbledon 2018. It was always part of the dream to play in a Wimbledon final. It means so much for me to have played in the championship match.

Tennis is a big sport when it comes to betting. Obviously, we as a sport try incredibly hard to keep it clean, and I think we do a very good job with that.