My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories.
If you're afraid of losing, then you daren't win.
You have to find it. No one else can find it for you.
The ball is round, the game is long.
My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match.
If you're a good experienced player, you wknow what it takes to do. If you're in trouble, you know how to change. One hundred percent of my game is instinct. I never stop and think I'm going to hit a ball crosscourt or down the line. I just do it.
I wanted to win, even in practice.
He [Jimmy Connors] has one weakness. He can never say his opponent played well. That's why it feels good to beat him and that's why other players would rather beat him than any other player.
As tennis players, we work and we sacrifice many things. To lose, that's not a happy thing - I mean sure, I was disappointed. You have to come back strong. But to win the last point in a grand slam tournament, that's the most beautiful and most satisfying feeling you can get as a tennis player. It's worth it.
Tennis is a traditional game. A big sport like tennis does not need too many changes. The game has become too fast, there are hardly any long, interesting rallies these days. So maybe slowing down the courts could help. But you can't really stop a sport from evolving.
On Rafael Nadal: Every point he plays is like match point. That's why he's the champion right now.
It's tough when you're No. 1. You don't have any private life, you can't even walk anywhere. I think that was one reason why I lost my motivation to play tennis.
You never know how long Federer is going to play, but in my opinion he has at least one or two more grand slams to win. It depends how long he stays motivated. For me, he is the greatest player to ever play the game.
I have a great family, great kids. I have practically everything, you know? Sometimes I have to pinch myself. It's really true: Life starts at 50.
I had a great tennis career. I have no regrets. But to find peace with yourself, and to finally be with your family - I'm probably the happiest guy in the world.
It has changed, quite a lot. It is very different now, there are quicker men, they are taller, stronger, have great stamina. The balls have also become faster. Tennis has now become a power sport. There is more depth in the game, as well, there are many more players than there used to be. The entire character of the game has changed.
I just hated to lose.
I'm amazed that years after I stopped playing tennis, people still recognize me in restaurants and ask for my autograph.
I'm an actor who plays an intriguing character, not a political pundit.
When I retired from tennis I wanted to do other things with my life.
I was fascinated by a compelling character embroiled in a controversial topic that told the story from a different point of view.
Basically I started playing double handed on both my forehand and backhand side because my first racket was very heavy.
Sure you have feelings and you get emotional and angry but I kept everything inside because I think I still had that thought in my mind - I didn't want to get suspended again
It's not easy to part with the trophies. However, I do need to have some long-term financial security for those close to me.
I play tennis five hours a week, from Monday to Friday, for one hour every day. I like to be fit. If I can't exercise, I feel bad - I need to sweat and run to feel like I'm in good shape.
