8 Tennis Quotes That Just Might
Change Your Perspective
8 Tennis Quotes That Just Might Change Your Perspective
With larger-than-life personalities, intense on-court battles, and dynamic storylines, there’s no shortage of compelling tennis quotes to keep you motivated.
Tennis lends itself to a metaphor for life, navigating highs and lows, teaching us to adapt to changing circumstances, and persevering through challenges, so it’s unsurprising its athletes serve up noteworthy remarks. Like tennis, setting goals, learning from failures, and relying on support systems are essential to a fulfilling life, so many famous quotes inspire on and off the court.
However, some of my favorite quotes transcend inspiration and motivation, shifting a player’s perspective and approach to life or tennis. With that spirit, I’m sharing several game-changing tennis quotes that led me to pause and think differently, and I hope they’ll do the same for you.
Stan Wawrinka
“Improve to fail better.” – Stan Wawrinka
Athletes are usually ultra-focused on improving to achieve results. After all, we want to win—to succeed. But this quote flips the script and reminds us that failure is not inherently bad but part of the process. There is something to be said for learning each time you fail.
This quote is Wawrinka’s abbreviation of a famous quote from playwright Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better,” which the Swiss tennis player has tattooed on his arm. The message here is that improvement isn’t always about success; sometimes, it’s about refining how you handle failure to foster your desired success.
Serena Williams
“If you can keep playing tennis when somebody is shooting a gun down the street, that’s concentration.” – Serena Williams
This quote is a salient reminder of where Serena and Venus came from. Growing up in Compton, California, they faced challenges that can help put our own in perspective.
If you haven’t had to deal with gunfire in your neighborhood, it’s a great reminder that many of us are fortunate not to have to face that type of adversity.
For those in a similar situation, it reinforces that anyone can succeed regardless of where they’re from or their circumstances. It also serves as a reminder that, despite how important we may perceive tennis to be (and sports more broadly), it’s all just a game at the end of the day.
Steffi Graf
“Sometimes, I wish I could have been a bit more relaxed, but then I wouldn’t have been the same player.” – Steffi Graf
Have you ever been told by a tennis instructor, friend, or family member to relax and not take things too seriously? Although generally good advice, Graf required a different approach.
An unwavering intensity that helped her win 22 major singles titles and become one of the greatest of all time. This insight is evidence that popular advice doesn’t always work for everyone and that champions are often unconventional, requiring different inputs to achieve next-level success and something to keep in mind as you strive for greatness on the court.
Venus Williams
“Tennis is mostly mental. Of course, you must have a lot of physical skill, but you can’t play tennis well and not be a good thinker. You win or lose the match before you even go out there.” – Venus Williams
As a newer player, you might be tempted to focus primarily on the technical and physical aspects of the game, which are crucial to success. However, experienced players know tennis is as mental as physical (if not more); I’d argue it’s 75% mental and 25% physical.
This idea can be a perspective shifter if you’re overly focused on stroke development, technique, and practice. Ultimately, players need to spend as much time on the mental as they do the physical to achieve their greatest potential.
Chris Evert
“To be a tennis champion, you have to be inflexible. You have to be stubborn. You have to be arrogant. You have to be selfish and self-absorbed. Kind of tunnel vision, almost.” – Chris Evert
Evert’s words seem counterintuitive at first glance, but she’s not a former world No. 1 by chance. On the surface, you might think the better idea would be to be flexible and open.
However, Evert tells us that nothing but hyper-focus can win a championship. This dedication and single-mindedness might seem extreme, but they underscore the sacrifices and intense focus required to reach the top.
Mardy Fish
“It’s just health. They call it mental health, but your brain is part of your body. It’s an injury. You just can’t see it.” – Mardy Fish
Mardy Fish suffered from an ultimately career-ending anxiety disorder at a time when speaking about mental health was taboo. His words push us to think about ‘health’ beyond what we see.
Most people consider health as relating to the body and exclude the mind. His story does a lot to break the stigma around mental health, and this quote reminds us of its importance. Another stigma-busting quote from Fish, “To show weakness, we’re told in sports, is to deserve shame. But showing weakness, addressing your mental health, is strength.”
Arthur Ashe
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” – Arthur Ashe
People often think about success as achieving some specific goal or title. Here, Ashe pushes us to think about success differently. For Ashe, it is process over product.
This growth mindset will help us all to evaluate our concept of success more carefully. Enjoying the journey, learning from every step, and growing through the process make the outcome truly valuable regardless of the result.
Serena Williams
“Luck has nothing to do with it, because I have spent many, many hours, countless hours, on the court working for my one moment in time, not knowing when it would come.” – Serena Williams
Williams reminds us that success comes from putting in the hard yards. While we often think success combines luck and hard work, she tells us that fortune has nothing to do with it, emphasizing the importance of dedication, perseverance, and relentless effort. Serena’s journey to success shows that hard work and preparation are the true determinants of greatness.
Wrapping Up
So, there you have it—eight tennis quotes that apply to the court and life. Each quote offers a unique perspective that can inspire you to rethink how you approach challenges, success, and personal growth. Whether you’re a tennis player or not, these insights are universally relevant and can help you navigate the highs and lows of your journey.
Which of these quotes resonates with you the most and why? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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