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
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Losing
Choking
Helping
Failure
Choke
Spirit
Afraid
Nerve
Never
Lose
Experiencing
Think
Position
Nerves

More quotes by Pete Sampras

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What I've done in the game is always going to stick, no matter what happens.
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Retirement is a work in progress. I try to figure out my day, and what I know about myself is that I need structure.
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When you struggle winning matches all year and you don't really get into a groove or rhythm, you just can't expect to just come in here and have it click.
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Media access to us is more regulated than in golf.
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I admire the way golfers handle themselves. But tennis players are a lot younger, as a rule. There aren't many teenagers on the golf tour.
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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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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.
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My goal one day is to be in the same sentence as Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall.
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I guess I get my strength from my legs, which are also important in tennis.
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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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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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You kind of live and die by the serve.
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I don`t know why, but I love the dog eat dog nature of tennis. It`s real, it`s brutal and there`s no hiding place - it's like a one to one street fight. I love the intensity that comes with knowing you walk off court either a winner or a loser. It`s daunting but very exciting. There is no one to blame except yourself, no one cares who comes second.
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Baseball is America's pastime, and that record is absolutely huge in the States.
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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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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.
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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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Success is walking out of here with the title, and anything less is not good enough in my book.
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I'm staying in shape, working out.
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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.
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