Quotations

  • I have this unique ability to turn the whole crowd around.
  • By having kids, I got my humanity back. I’d been like some tennis dude, No 1 in the world and not happy with it.
  • I’ll let the racket do the talking.
  • I think it’s the mark of a great player to be confident in tough situations.

  • On First Day of Wimbledon
    "I know I’ve arrived ! First at the BBC, then at Buckingham Palace."

  • On Sibling Rivalry
    "My kid brother always got the ice cream – that’s ok, I always got the title."

  • On Buckingham Palace
    "I’ve never been there before – I never thought they would let me in."

  • On his Dream
    "Ideally, I would like to be a rock star, but that’s only a dream."

  • On Wimbledon Umpires
    "I get screwed by the Umpires in this place."

  • On Davis Cup
    "My mother made me promise her I’d always play for my country if I was asked.

  • On Not Attending the Traditional Wimbledon Winners Dinner in 1981
    "I wanted to spend (the night) with my family and friends and the people who had supported me, not a bunch of stiffs who were 70-80 years old, telling you that you are acting like a jerk."

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  • On his Induction into International Tennis Hall of Fame
    "I now have the best of both worlds, because I do the biggest events in London, Paris and New York. As far as my commercial stuff, I have fun with that too."

  • On French Open
    "The biggest disappointment of my career, if you had to pick one, would be the ’84 match… I really didn’t take the French Open very seriously. It wasn’t considered anywhere near the level of Wimbledon or the US Open."

  • On American Chances at the French Open
    "The surface they play on in Europe is different than what they play on here. There’s not as many facilities available ver here to prepare to play on that surface. And I don’t think that people realize, fans and media alike, the difference in the surfaces."

  • On Playing on Clay
    "The only reason I like playing on clay now at this stage of my career is that it’s a bit easier on my body… I don’t think that clay court tennis should ever be equal of what it is indoors or on hard court surfaces."

  • On Marcelo Rios
    "It’s misleading, but I still think he should be proud of the effort… He’s still got a lot of work to do if he wants to consider himself a No 1."

  • On Martina Hingis
    "I think she’s come into a vacuum in women’s tennis… She came in at a time where she’s old beyond her years."

  • On Teenage Stars of Women’s Game
    "They’re so young. It’s incredible how young they are. They’re like gymnasts now. They are peaking at such a young age… I don’t think its healthy for these 16, 17-year-old players to be at the top. That’s too young for a sport."

  • On Why He continues to play On the Senior Circuit
    "It keeps me in a better condition than if I wasn’t playing… In a lot of ways it’s helped me."

  • On His Goals for the Future
    "My goal is to turn into the George Foreman of tennis. He’s a great personality and he can fight… I’d like to enjoy my sport as much as he enjoys his."