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"QUOTES"
I was debating on whether to put a quotes page or not because for a pretty useless page, it requires too much work. But then, I decided to put one anyway because it shows the players' humor and it's nice to hear/read nice words being said about Pete. :-)
So here are some of my favorite quotes...
REGARDING THE NEVER-ENDING 'PETE IS BORING ISSUE':
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, Feb. 12, 97 (Sybase)
People are always looking for something there. He's just like your friend from down the road. He doesn't understand why, for instance, people are interested in what he had for dinner alst night. He's just substance. With Pete, what you see is what you get. -- Paul Annacone, Sybase Open 1997
Sampras doesn't owe us charisma or ego or flambouyance or anything we seem to equate with sporting success these days. All he owes us is good tennis. You want to see who Pete Sampras is? Watch him play. -- Paul Daugherty, Boston Globe columnist
The way I can play and some of the shots I'm able to hit, that's what I'm all about. I'm not going to do anything different out there to please the media, to make your jobs easier. I'll make you guys write about the tennis. -- Sampras' reply when asked to comment about the media wanting more sensational news about him, The Cincinnati Post, August 11, 1997
I don't know what it is about Americans that they always have to be entertained. Pete is as good a player as you can possibly get, but it doesn't seem to be enough for them. I guess people get bored quickly, But Pete is an enormously talented athlete, and he's surrounded himself with good people from the beginning. God knows how many Grand Slam titles he can win. -- Harold Solomon (a former tennis pro now playing seniors and coaching some pros), August 1997
It's a mystery to me why he doesn't captivate. He captivates me. He's a marvelous shotmaker. Tennis has had some yellers and screamers who have been tremendously popular. People seem to expect a freak show from tennis. But you don't know what you're missing if you haven't seen Pete Sampras play tennis. -- Bud Collins, author of "Tennis Encyclopedia", commentator for NBC and writer for the Boston Globe.
I don't need to sit here and apologize for the way I am, like I thought I had to for a couple of years. I didn't really understand that we're in a society where image is a huge deal. You know, people like Dennis Rodman making millions of dollars for doing what he does on the court. I'm so much not like that, but you get blamed for it. So it's made me a little cynical. -- Pete Sampras, CNN/SI, August 24, 1997
PETE SAMPRAS' GAME:
HOW TO BEAT PETE:
ON BREAKING PETE's SERVE:
Sometimes I think he forgets the difference between his first serve and his second serve. -- Boris Becker, Wimbledon SF 93
Be lucky, guess the corner, close your eyes and hope there's a God. You have to be a little religious to break his serve. -- Magnus Larsson on how to break Pete Sampras' serve, Cincinnati 98 PLAYERS' COMMENTS ABOUT PETE SAMPRAS:
For me, he was always the most complete player. He has the power, he has the speed, he has the touch. He is the best player ever. -- Boris Becker, Sports Illustrated, July 14, 1997
What I like about him is he's ready to play day after day after day. -- Jimmy Connors
He's very professional at what he does, never gives up, and is very dedicated to the game. That's the way of a champion. -- Bjorn Borg
"Sampras, Sampras, Sampras, Sampras and Sampras"--Andre Agassi's reply when asked who are the best five players of all time, October 30, 1998, Stuttgart
I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather see break it, because Pete is a terrific ambassador for tennis and a terrific ambassador for America. All around the world he's very well respected. This is the type of person you need as a champion here for all the young kids to emulate. -- Roy Emerson when asked about Pete Sampras' chase of his record of 12 Grand Slam Titles, Indianapolis Star/News, Aug 16, 1997
PLAYERS' COMMENTS REGARDING PETE MAKING A RECORD SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR-END NO.1 RANKING:
It's amazing to be up there six years in a row. He's proved he is the best player ever and he is playing amazingly. I don't see anyone right now who can be No. 1 six years in a row. -- Carlos Moya
He looked like the No. 1 for the past 25 years easily. It's great to see him in the sixth year. It's going to be more interesting if he can keep on going with that streak because he is a great a player. You have to give credit to him for the way he's handled all the pressure. He's not had the best year but he still managed to finish No. 1, which is a tremendous result. -- Greg Rusedski
Here are some of my favorite Sampras replies. I think these show Pete's wit, his dry humor. :)
"Well, maybe I'll make it one day." -- Pete's reply when told that RICHARD KRAJICEK said (during Wimbledon 98) that Pete's playing like the 10th ranked player instead of no. 1
"10 Grand Slams." -- Pete's reply when asked what is the difference between him and Patrick Rafter, ranked no. 2
"He did, didn't he? He's smoking something that isn't legal." -- Pete's comment when told that Rafter said that the controversial match point serve he hit during their Cincinnati 98 match was 'definitely in'
email me at: tovariche@aol.com
background photo: Pete Sampras and Boris Becker after their 1997 Wimbledon Quarterfinal match, where Becker told Sampras that it was his last match at Wimbledon (ŠAllsport)
CAREER RESULTS