Pete Sampras Quotes (29 Quotes)

I have fond memories of being involved in the event as a player, and now to be involved as an owner should be equally rewarding. Our investment group believes that even though this event is already the most attended event outside of the Grand Slams it has the potential to reach even greater heights, and there is not a better place for that to happen than at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Tennis is seen all around the world; if I am home or anywhere in the country, United States, people will stare.

The timing is right. I've been busy with my family and enjoying retirement but this feels like the right time to get back on the court and play World Team Tennis.

I just believed it would be a shame to lose this tournament. To have it leave the country would have been a big blow.

You kind of live and die by the serve.

I let my racket do the talking. That's what I am all about, really. I just go out and win tennis matches.

Full yet empty at the same time, he took the rest of 2002 off and the first three months of 2003. In late April he was just about to begin the two-month sweat-a-thon that would get him ready for this year's Wimbledon when something turned up missing -- his desire. I've always had this little thing I do when I tie my shoes, ... I finish tying them, slap the ground and say to myself, Here we go But this time, it didn't feel good. And I stopped, right there and then.

It is nice to walk out on a court to have it packed.

Golfers are forever working on mechanics. My tennis swing hasn't changed in 10 years.

I don't know how I do it, I really don't.

(The tournament) was one of my more favorite stops and I know a lot of players love playing in the desert and it's good to see it's staying in the desert. Obviously playing the event for 14 or 15 years, I love the two weeks I would spend there. I have a home close to there and I can have a presence at the event now that I'm a very small piece to a big puzzle.

This is more about just getting myself a little busier and focused on something I used to be good at. It's time this year to do a little more. Last year, I was kind of floating along.

I just had to hang in there and make sure I was dictating play,

You know, you walk into this place, it's not like walking into Cincinnati or Montreal. This is a Grand Slam. You know, this is what you play for. This is what tennis is all about. Yeah, not many people will remember what happened in Montreal or Cincinnati if you go out and win this tournament.

The difference of great players is at a certain point in a match they raise their level of play and maintain it. Lesser players play great for a set, but then less.

People know me. I'm not going to produce any cartwheels out there. I'm not going to belong on Comedy Central. I'll always be a tennis player, not a celebrity.

When you retire you want to get as far away as possible from the game for a couple of years.

If Davis Cup was a little bit less or once every two years, I would be more inclined to play. But the way it is now, it is too much tennis for me.

When you retire, you take time away, you don't want to have anything to do with tennis. After two years of having fun and not doing much in the sport, you get a little bored and want to know what's the next chapter in your life. Last year was a turning point 'What am I going to do next' and I had to make a decision.

Not only is he winning majors, but ... he's winning them with pretty much ease. Clearly, he's head and shoulders above the rest. I don't see anyone pushing him over the next three or four years.

In tennis, you can make a couple of mistakes and still win. Not in golf. I played three rounds in that Tahoe event, and I was drained. Mentally, not physically.

There's always one shot that I can rely on when I'm not hitting the ball that well, is my serve.

World Team Tennis gives me an opportunity to play singles, doubles and mixed doubles and that's something I didn't get to do during my career.

My serve was there, everything was just clicking. Those are the days you dream about, especially in a final.

It's weird to say, but I'm content, ... I'm happy. I've got nothing left to prove to myself. That's a big statement. I'm coming to terms with it, you know I'm like, 'I'm stopping' But there's nothing left in tennis I want to achieve.

I am going to hold serve the majority of the time. It is nice to have a little time to return serve.

For so long people have just taken what I do for granted. It is not easy to do year-in, year-out, to win Grand Slams and be No. 1.

Where I fall down is my short game. I don't practice enough, and when I have to take a half swing from 50 yards out, that's trouble.

He's got a big game and a big future. I never really felt I was in control of his service games. You're looking at the future of American tennis. He's a standout. He's got a big serve and grass is a surface he's going to get better on.