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.
The most important part of a player's body is above his shoulders.
The only thing 'championship' about Wimbledon is its prestige.
I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Football. Bloody hell.
We need the quarterbacks. It's a passing league and a quarterback-driven league. We need the Peyton Mannings in football uniforms out there playing - the Tom Bradys, the Drew Breeses, the Philip Riverses - we need those guys instead of them standing on the sideline.
I'd give a year of my life if I could hit a homerun on opening day of this great new park.
Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.
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