--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you play against Rafa, you have to…" description: "\"When you play against Rafa, you have to play two hours and 40, 45 minutes.\" — David Goffin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/david-goffin-11752_against_when-you-play-against-rafa-you-have-to-p_2366499.jpg" --- # When you play against Rafa, you have to play two hours and… ![“When you play against Rafa, you have to play two hours and 40, 45 minutes.” quote by David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/david-goffin-11752_against_when-you-play-against-rafa-you-have-to-p_2366499.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/david-goffin-11752_against_when-you-play-against-rafa-you-have-to-p_2366499.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/david-goffin-11752_against_when-you-play-against-rafa-you-have-to-p_2366499.jpg) > “When you play against Rafa, you have to play two hours and 40, 45 minutes.” [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Competing against a top player demands extended physical and mental endurance beyond typical match length. **In simple terms:** Playing a great opponent requires extra stamina and focus. Key Takeaway Build endurance and stay mentally tough. Themes endurance focus competition strategy Mood determined intense Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - training sessions - long tournaments - high‑intensity drills - mental rehearsal Key Concepts physiology psychology match dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain concentration during long rallies? - What recovery methods help after extended play? A Different Perspective Even with preparation, fatigue can still impair decision‑making. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [45 Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/45-minutes/) [Against](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Hours 40](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours-40-5542130/) [Minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minutes/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-hours-243980/) [Play Rafa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-rafa-2767931/) [Rafa Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rafa-play-5813073/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [Oh, it's always big when you play Rafa on a big stadium, night session, you play for your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/oh-it-s-always-big-when-you-play-rafa-on-a-big-stadium-night-session/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [I was in for 10 hours and had 40 pints - beating my previous record by 20 minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-best/i-was-in-for-10-hours-and-had-40-pints-beating-my-previous-record-by/) [George Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-best/) > [More than half of the matches are won in the dressing room for him. The guy he's playing against is sitting in the locker-room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mats-wilander/more-than-half-of-the-matches-are-won-in-the-dressing-room-for-him/) [Mats Wilander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mats-wilander/) > [I love to play against Rafa because he's the biggest fighter in this sport. I don't like to see him suffering on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-martin-del-potro/i-love-to-play-against-rafa-because-he-s-the-biggest-fighter-in-this/) [Juan Martin del Potro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-martin-del-potro/) > [I would love to play Rafa in Paris. I'd love to test my strengths and ability against him on the Parisian clay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefanos-tsitsipas/i-would-love-to-play-rafa-in-paris-i-d-love-to-test-my-strengths-and/) [Stefanos Tsitsipas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefanos-tsitsipas/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [This is a mind over matter thing. We have to find it within ourselves to play for two hours. We love the game, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-yow/this-is-a-mind-over-matter-thing-we-have-to-find-it-within-ourselves/) [Kay Yow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-yow/) > [In Liverpool we'd only done one-hour sessions. In Hamburg we had to play for eight hours. We played very loud, bang, bang, all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/in-liverpool-we-d-only-done-one-hour-sessions-in-hamburg-we-had-to/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [Children smile 400 times a day on average ... adults 15 times. Children laugh 150 times a day ... adults 6 times per day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/children-smile-400-times-a-day-on-average-adults-15-times-children/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [I'd get a train to some town and wander about to find a decent spot. Sometimes I'd play for three hours; sometimes I'd get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/passenger/i-d-get-a-train-to-some-town-and-wander-about-to-find-a-decent-spot/) [Passenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/passenger/) > [I got the first Nintendo system, and me and my mother would stay up and play it together for hours and hours and hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-grande/i-got-the-first-nintendo-system-and-me-and-my-mother-would-stay-up/) [Frankie Grande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-grande/) > [When I was eight or nine, we had a goal in the back yard of our council flat. We used to flip it over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonjo-shelvey/when-i-was-eight-or-nine-we-had-a-goal-in-the-back-yard-of-our/) [Jonjo Shelvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonjo-shelvey/) > [Eight hours of work, eight hours of play, eight hours of sleep - eight hours a day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-haywood/eight-hours-of-work-eight-hours-of-play-eight-hours-of-sleep-eight/) [Bill Haywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-haywood/) > [We play anywhere around two, 2 hours, so we're always in shape, but you've got to get yourself in super shape so you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bryan/we-play-anywhere-around-two-2-hours-so-we-re-always-in-shape-but-you/) [David Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bryan/) > [I did pretty well busking. I would play two to eight hours a day, and I could make two or three hundred an hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-bowersox/i-did-pretty-well-busking-i-would-play-two-to-eight-hours-a-day-and-i/) [Crystal Bowersox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-bowersox/) ## More by David Goffin > [We have been playing every summer on clay since I was five years old, so it is an easy surface for us in Belgium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/we-have-been-playing-every-summer-on-clay-since-i-was-five-years-old/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [It's good in tennis that you don't have to be big or a tall guy to be good. Otherwise I had no chance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/it-s-good-in-tennis-that-you-don-t-have-to-be-big-or-a-tall-guy-to-be/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [Winning my second title feels just as good as the first one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/winning-my-second-title-feels-just-as-good-as-the-first-one/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [It's such an honor to represent my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/it-s-such-an-honor-to-represent-my-country/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [Against Novak and Rafa, you have balls to hit, but they are so physically really tough. And Roger, he just takes position in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/against-novak-and-rafa-you-have-balls-to-hit-but-they-are-so/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [Rafa and Roger, they have completely different games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/rafa-and-roger-they-have-completely-different-games/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [When you're young, you might not be ready to deal with the frustration of playing the big guys and dealing with their power. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/when-you-re-young-you-might-not-be-ready-to-deal-with-the-frustration/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [Rafa is the toughest opponent to start a campaign against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/rafa-is-the-toughest-opponent-to-start-a-campaign-against/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [It's tough to control the ball on the clay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/it-s-tough-to-control-the-ball-on-the-clay/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [Hard courts are faster and the bounce is lower indoors. Rafa cannot slide on this surface. He's more comfortable on clay, where he can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/hard-courts-are-faster-and-the-bounce-is-lower-indoors-rafa-cannot/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [On clay courts I have some weapons to play a good match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/on-clay-courts-i-have-some-weapons-to-play-a-good-match/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [I think for Britain it's tough to play on clay. They prefer grass courts, hard courts, fast courts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/i-think-for-britain-it-s-tough-to-play-on-clay-they-prefer-grass/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [You have to fight for each point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/you-have-to-fight-for-each-point/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [Of course I don't have a big serve. I have other weapons. That's why tennis is a nice sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/of-course-i-don-t-have-a-big-serve-i-have-other-weapons-that-s-why/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [Sometimes you're not feeling great, sometimes you're feeling well, so it depends. But for the moment, it's always better to go onto the court…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/sometimes-you-re-not-feeling-great-sometimes-you-re-feeling-well-so/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) [Explore all 58 David Goffin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) ## More Against quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. 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The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. 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