Tennis was never work for me, tennis was fun. And the tougher the battle and the longer the match, the more fun I had.
Interpretation
Tennis is a source of enjoyment rather than a job for Connors, and he finds pleasure in challenges.
In this quote, Jimmy Connors expresses his perspective on tennis, highlighting that for him, the sport is not merely a job or a chore, but a source of joy. He suggests that the harder the competition and the longer the matches, the more he relishes the experience, emphasizing the importance of passion and enjoyment over obligation in pursuing one's interests.
In practice
During a sports motivational seminar to inspire young athletes.
I had true rivalries. Not only did I want to beat my opponent, but I didn't want to let him up, either. I had a rivalry with Mac, Lendl, Borg. Everybody knew there was tension between us, on court and off. That's what's really ingrained in my mind: 'This is real. This isn't a soft rivalry.' There were no hugs and kisses.
I think my greatest victory was every time I walked out there, I gave it everything I had. I left everything out there. That's what I'm most proud of. I can't go win Wimbledon anymore, so if what I've done in the past is not good enough, let it go. Because I'm certainly not sitting around thinking about it.
Basketball is booming, and it's not just an Under Armour standpoint: it's about the game itself. Kids going out and playing and being inspired by what we do on the court.
The trouble with referees is that they know the rules, but they do not know the game.
That's the remarkable thing about baseball. The game has a way of having you scratch your head one minute and drive you crazy, and then the next, you're entertained beyond your wildest hopes. That's why it's the best game.
People always talk about Ronaldinho, and everything but I didnt see him today - I saw Henrik Larsson. Two times he came on - he changed the game, that is what killed the game - sometimes you talk about Ronaldinho and Etoo and people like that, you need to talk about the proper footballer who made the difference and that was Henrik Larsson tonight
Any defensive coordinator is worried about two things: a running quarterback and a deep ball. You know, don't get beat deep and don't let the quarterback run, because a big part of your defense can't account for the quarterback as a runner, so he gets a free run.
In Dortmund, they say the derby is more important than the championship. You can feel it around the game.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.