Juicy Quotes — Paul Fein

Published : Jul 16, 2005 00:00 IST

Women should be all dressed in white like all other domestic appliances.

— Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One boss, discussing rising auto racing star Danica Patrick with reporters before the U.S. Grand Prix.

Serena Williams thought she could regain her title by working hard for one week. I'm sorry, Serena, as talented as you are, one week's hard practice isn't quite going to cut it.

— John McEnroe, 1980s champion and now a TV analyst, in his column in The Telegraph (UK).

I know when I play my best tennis I can compete with the big boys. — 2002

Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson, who did exactly that when he reached the Wimbledon semifinals where he extended Andy Roddick to four close sets.

I feel freer. A lot freer. There was a lot of heat on me coming into this tournament. I wanted to prove that I'm still a pretty good tennis player. I'm not gone. I'm 22 years old... . I felt like I deserved a little bit of respect.

— World No. 3 Andy Roddick after beating Sebastien Grosjean in five sets to reach the Wimbledon semis.

To say he is the essence of calm and relaxation understates the mood of serenity in which he lives his life. He had enough time for everyone, a word for everyone; he not only has the potential to be the greatest player the sport has seen but he is its finest salesman as well. What more could tennis want? How much more will tennis get?

— Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, on Roger Federer, in his column in The Times (UK).

My motto is: I'm alive, so that means I can do anything.

— Venus Williams, after staving off a championship point to overcome No. 1 Lindsay Davenport, 4-6, 7-6, 9-7, for her third Wimbledon title and first Grand Slam title in almost four years.

I'd like to win without a heart attack. This was cardiac arrest. But, if that's what it takes ...

— Venus Williams, after her nerve-wracking Wimbledon final victory.

These are children who are taking a holistic approach to being successful. They are prepared to compete, not just prepared to play, and that means all realms. Parents are sending kids to schools where they learn the academic side and the golf side, not with good golf coaches but great golf coaches. They learn nutrition advice and sports psychology advice. They are learning at 8, 9 and 10 things that people 20 years ago would be doing at 20 and 25. I think in the next 15 years, you'll have a 14-year-old girl win a U.S. Open.

— Adrian Davies, a former European Tour player who is a PGA Tour instructor and the director of golf development at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, on the bevy of teenage golf phenoms, in the International Herald Tribune.

I'm more in the mood for a beer right now.

— Quick-quipping Andy Roddick, when asked "You must wonder what you have to do to beat this guy?" after Roger Federer whipped him 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final.

A long time ago.

— Roger Federer, when asked after easily winning his third straight Wimbledon title, "When was the last time you doubted yourself on a tennis court?"

Every time the chips were down for Venus, she played unbelievably.

— Lindsay Davenport, gracious after her heartbreaking 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 loss to Venus Williams in the Wimbledon final.

I always felt like a champion in my heart. I've always felt my destiny was to win Grand Slam titles.

— Venus Williams, who had lost her last five Grand Slam finals, after outlasting American veteran Lindsay Davenport 4-6, 7-6, 9-7 in the longest Wimbledon women's final in history.

The most annoying part (of criticism of her) was the fact that when you're playing your best, doing your best, so many people want to be on your side, but if things get a little... or you don't win every match, there's so many people who want to put you down. So many people who thrive on negativity, so many people who are excited to see a story like that. That's the part I was disappointed in, because I don't think that is the only way it has to be because that's not how I was raised.

— Venus Williams, who silenced her critics by winning her third Wimbledon crown.

He is as close as there is to unbeatable. I felt I played decent, the stats are decent and I got straight-setted.

— Andy Roddick, on Roger Federer, his conquerer in the Wimbledon final for the second straight year.

People think I'm kidding or that just talking him up when I say he's the greatest talent of all time, but I believe that.

— John McEnroe, speaking on the BBC about Roger Federer, after the Swiss superstar won Wimbledon for his fifth Grand Glam title.

We all know that he's already in the company of the greatest of all time, and he reminds me a lot of Laver. He has that versatility. He can adapt to all surfaces and opponents, and has so many options. That is unique in today's game, because the others are one-dimensional. And there's another way in which I think he's unique today. It's the respect he has for the game. He loves to hear about the past, about Laver and Rosewall and the rest. And he cares about the future. The reason he plays is he loves it.

— Tony Roche, 1960s-`70s Australian star, praising Roger Federer, whom he has coached since last November, in The Times (UK).

You have a better opportunity to do things in America. Ghana hasn't qualified, ever, for a World Cup. Players just disappear there. They win all these youth events, and then just disappear.

— Freddy Adu, America's best-known soccer player at age 16, on why he would rather play for the United States than Ghana, in the International Herald Tribune.

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