Tennis players since time immemorial have been an inspiration to many with their performances and quotes
Tennis is one of the most followed sports on the planet. Life is at times like a game of tennis. Sometimes you win, while there are moments when you lose also.
A truly inspirational sport in itself, tennis has taught people that it’s not just winning that matters. The journey and the fighting spirit that keeps a player motivated makes it even more interesting.
Top tennis stars such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have still managed to play their best tennis and survive on top just because of this undying fighting spirit.
Let’s now take a look at some of the greatest, famous and most funny tennis quotes of all time:
Top 10 tennis quotes
1. When you do something best in life, you don’t really want to give that up – and for me it’s tennis.
―Roger Federer
Swiss maestro Roger Federer is arguably one of the undisputed champions of the game with a record 20 Grand Slam titles to his name. He is the only men’s player in tennis history to win that many Majors and is still going strong despite turning 38 this year.
2. The mark of great sportsmen is not how good they are at their best, but how good they are at their worst.
―Martina Navratilova
A former World No.1 Martina Navratilova is one of the most respected and greatest tennis athletes of all time. Nobody has seen as many ups and downs in their professional career as Navratilova has. The former tennis star, now, 63, has 18 Grand Slam titles to her name.
3. I’m a perfectionist. I’m pretty much insatiable. I feel there’s so many things I can improve on.
―Serena Williams
A hugely motivated star, American Serena Williams is probably one of the greatest women’s tennis stars the game has ever produced. She has 23 Grand Slam titles to her name – the most won by any man or woman in Open Era.
The legends
4. I never look back, I look forward.
―Steffi Graf
No wonder she went on to win 22 Grand Slam titles. A former World No.1, Graff, however, retired at the peak of her career when she was ranked number three.
5. I made it look so easy on court all those years. No one realized how hard I had to work. No one realized how much I had to put into it. They underestimated my intensity.
―Pete Sampras
American Pete Sampras was known for his elegant play and this won him numerous followers.
However, there was no questioning his hard work as he was one of the most consistent and dominant performers in men’s tennis in the 1990s.
6. My motto is: I’m alive, so that means I can do anything.
―Venus Williams
A hugely successful player like her younger sister Serena, William was a former World No.1 and winner of 10 Grand Slam titles. It was her impressive performances that to an extent motivated Serena to push the boundaries and become one of the best in the game.
Nadal with a zinger
7. A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.
―Billie Jean King
One of the most celebrated tennis stars of yesteryear, American Billie Jean King is a former World No.1, who won 12 Grand Slam singles titles in total.
8. You have to find it. No one else can find it for you.
―Bjorn Borg
A true hard worker, Swede Bjorn Borg was the embodiment of perseverance. He won 11 Grand Slam titles – six at French Open and five consecutively in Wimbledon.
9. I’m not the best player in the history of tennis. I think I’m amongst the best. That’s true. That’s enough for me.
―Rafael Nadal
One of the best tennis players the game has seen, Nadal is currently the World No.2.
He could have been possibly the best in the last decade had it not been for Federer’s undisputed dominance. Still he is only one short of Federer at 19 Grand Slam titles.
10. Being number two sucks.
―Andre Agassi
Just as his quote goes, Agassi never wanted to be the second-best. He was the perfect example of a fighter, who wanted to be the best. An eight-time Grand Slam winner, Agassi was a former American World No.1.
More tennis news:
- “Have to set goals that are difficult to achieve” – Juan Carlos Ferrero compares Carlos Alcaraz to Roger Federer, Dominic Thiem, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal
- Will the 2021 Olympics be the final tournament before Roger Federer’s retirement?
- “A great tennis story in four words” – Mardy Fish takes shot at Roger Federer with hilarious tweet
Follow our dedicated tennis page for instant news and updates
