Mourinho: Footballers can learn much from tennis stars

Jose Mourinho believes footballers can learn a lot from the mental strength shown by tennis players on the court.

Having guided Chelsea to the Premier League title last season, Mourinho was a regular at the Aegon Championships at Queen's last week - a tournament eventually won by British star Andy Murray.

Mourinho, who is a "big, big fan" of tennis, is impressed by the way the sport's top stars handle the pressure placed on them during matches, something he thinks footballers could do well to tap into.

"I really love it, I love the game," he said. "I have a special respect for the players because I think it's not enough that they are physical or technical, it's maybe the most important thing the mental point of view.

"Lonely people competing is more difficult than team sports. A lonely man or women on the court is responsible for their success, responsible for defeat. This capacity to deal with huge pressure I think is something I try to learn with them and bring it to my job and my sport."