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People wrote me off, but I believed in myself. I got the confidence back, and it grew and grew. I won my first major and my last at the place that changed my life.

Pete Sampras

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Pete Sampras
Age: 53
Born: 1971
Born: August 12
Tennis Player
Washington
District of Columbia
Petros Sampras
Peter Sampras
Place
Majors
Back
Major
Firsts
Wrote
First
Confidence
Life
Grew
People
Changed
Lasts
Tennis
Last
Believed

More quotes by Pete Sampras

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A champion is suppose to hate to lose, and it wasn't like I was ever crazy about the idea. But I learned to deal with losing without having my spirit or confidence broken, which would help immensely over time, not just in the big picture but even in specific matches when I found myself in a jam. Fear of losing is a terrible thing.
Pete Sampras
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My goal one day is to be in the same sentence as Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall.
Pete Sampras
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Tennis is seen all around the world if I am home or anywhere in the country, United States, people will stare.
Pete Sampras
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It's one-on-one out there, man. There ain't no hiding. I can't pass the ball.
Pete Sampras
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People watched the Masters. It was a huge event. It was at The Garden. Now that it is over here in Europe, it has lost a little bit of popularity in the States.
Pete Sampras
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Anything can happen out there on any court.
Pete Sampras
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I've got a great wife, a great life.
Pete Sampras
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Choking is being in a position to win, and then experiencing some critical failure of nerve or spirit. That never happened to me. And I can't help but think it was because I was never afraid to lose.
Pete Sampras
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By putting pressure on myself to develop a great game, I had less pressure to win. These days, I tell kids that the way I grew up, it wasn't about winning. It was about playing well, about playing the right way. That approach helped me enjoy the game and develop mine to its maximum potential.
Pete Sampras
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If I win and play well, then the ranking will take care of itself. Defending points is really not a problem. Just go out and play and not worry about it.
Pete Sampras
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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.
Pete Sampras
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I don't think it really matters, who plays first. Whatever they do, they do.
Pete Sampras
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The future is flying home. That's the immediate future. But long-distance future, I plan on being back. I'm not going to end my time here with that loss.
Pete Sampras
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I've always led a pretty simple life, with few extravagances. The money in tennis never drove me.
Pete Sampras
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My serve was there, everything was just clicking. Those are the days you dream about, especially in a final.
Pete Sampras
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Winning is about taking your opponent's heart out and squeezing it until all the blood has come out, even the very last drop. There are no prizes for a funny loser.
Pete Sampras
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I can't just wake up and watch TV and do nothing. I need a day off working out, seeing the wife, play a little golf, see my kids.
Pete Sampras
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Success is walking out of here with the title, and anything less is not good enough in my book.
Pete Sampras
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Golfers are forever working on mechanics. My tennis swing hasn't changed in 10 years.
Pete Sampras
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Media access to us is more regulated than in golf.
Pete Sampras