Quote

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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Pete Sampras
Age: 53
Born: 1971
Born: August 12
Tennis Player
Washington
District of Columbia
Petros Sampras
Peter Sampras
Thinking
Loses
Tennis
Happened
Defeat
Winning
Critical
Help
Losing
Choking
Helping
Failure
Choke
Spirit
Afraid
Nerve
Never
Lose
Experiencing
Think
Position
Nerves

More quotes by Pete Sampras

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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.
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It is nice to walk out on a court to have it packed.
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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.
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I did it my way, and I have no regrets when I look back on my career that it was just a big focus for me.
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When I committed to playing a little tennis in some exhibitions, it was the best thing for me. It got me in shape. It got me out of the house. It got me doing something I love to do.
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Anything can happen out there on any court.
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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.
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You kind of live and die by the serve.
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Golfers are forever working on mechanics. My tennis swing hasn't changed in 10 years.
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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.
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I'm staying in shape, working out.
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When you go through certain moments of your career and you're struggling, it just takes time. Time heals, when you're a little bit down.
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I think the image of golfers is terrific, and rightly so.
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I'm not worried about the weekend, I'm worried about Saturday.
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It's not my place to tell you whom to vote for, to take any political stand, to tell you what religion to believe in. I'm an athlete. I can influence certain things, but when I see other athletes and celebrities telling you whom to vote for, I actually get a bit offended.
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Players aren't quite as intimidated by my name.
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The only person that I have met, that I have ever been in awe of, is Eddie Vedder.
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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.
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Baseball is America's pastime, and that record is absolutely huge in the States.
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It's one-on-one out there, man. There ain't no hiding. I can't pass the ball.
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