He's the man who tamed living legend Andre Agassi on Wimbledon centre court. He's won five titles and pocketed Bt125 million in prize money alone, product endorsements swelling a different bank account.

He can stir up headlines by dating the likes of Tata Young and Odette just as easily as he does when he gives Roger Federer something to think about when they collide.

He drives a yellow Ferrari, but even overseas likes his basic plate of rice topped with fried chicken and basil.

He was on the cover of Time magazine, for heaven's sake, our own "Thai Tiger".

What don't we know about Paradorn? The Nation fires off a few nosy questions.

What's the hardest part of being a pro tennis player?

Adjusting to different environments, the weather and the time changes week in and week out. Actually, being a tennis player isn't so tough - you just have to adapt to the conditions as fast as you can.

How do you spend your free time?

Hanging out with friends. I go to parties. I go out with friends, but mostly in Thailand, because when I'm on tour I'm too busy with my practice and matches.

Do you party a lot?

It depends on the occasion. If I can I'll go out, but never during a tournament.

How do you take care of your appearance on and off the court?

Just being myself as much as possible. I wear whatever I want to, but I also take into consideration whether it's appropriate or not.

Do you think tennis and fashion mix?

Of course. Players these days have their own fashion sense and personality, depending on their individual style.

As for me, I have my own trademark, which is the body-fit shirt, but I haven't used it for a long time. I'll start wearing it again next summer at [California tournament] Indian Wells.

What's your personal fashion sense off-court?

Nothing much. Just anything that makes me look cool. But as the basic thing it's got to be a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Sometimes I wear jeans with long-sleeved shirts, depending on the occasion. A pair of nice low-cut shoes will also do.

What else do I put on? Some accessories like a watch and silver necklace. I prefer silver to gold.

What have you bought for yourself lately?

Just three days ago I got myself three pairs of jeans from MBK. I got a little discount because I'm Paradorn! [He laughs.] I paid Bt2,500 for them.

What's your most recent regret?

The match I lost to Federer in the semi-finals in Basel in October. I was so close to beating the World No 1, but I let it slip away.

Tell us how much you spend on an average day when you're not playing.

Normally I only spend money on lunch and dinner. During tournaments I'll spend $500 [US, or Bt18,000 - he routinely picks up the tab for others too] for lunch and another $500 for dinner, but when I'm in Thailand I pay around $200 a day for lunch and dinner.

Do you burn up the plastic?

I have four credit cards, but I usually use only two. I only use the other two when I want to buy something really expensive.

When the time comes for your last professional match, who would you like to see on the other side of the net?

That's a tough question, but I guess it would be whoever is the World No 1 at that time. But that will be five years from now. I give myself five more years before I hang up the racquet.

What's the question that reporters never ask you but you'd love to hear?

I don't think there is such question. As far as I'm concerned, I've been asked almost everything possible.

What's the most annoying question you've ever heard?

Any question that begins with "why". A question like that needs explanation. And when you're hit with the same "why" by different reporters, you have to repeatedly explain everything to them, like 80 or 90 times. It's quite boring. And I have no choice but to put up with this repetition.

Lerpong Amsa-ngiam

The Nation