There can be a lot of mind games going on between the players. When you're about to serve, people will try to throw you off your rhythm by taking a walk. If you're tired, you can't show that at all to an opponent.

In our sport, there's only two people, so if you're not winning, then you're losing.

Obviously, you need talent to do well in your sport, but I think hard work goes a long way. You need to be lucky within the sport too, though. In badminton, you can benefit from good draws and people getting injured.

In countries like China and Indonesia, badminton is like a religion. Players get mobbed in the street. In China, it is a national sport, and Lin Dan, their star player, is treated like David Beckham.

I think badminton has a real legacy with more youngsters taking up the sport. Badminton has done really well in that regard compared to other sports.

What we do is nothing like the portrayal of badminton as a gentle game played in a church hall. Badminton can be fun and relaxing, but as professionals, this sport is our heart and soul and passion, and our games are fast and aggressive.