"After my father's beatings as a child, nothing hurts."
— Ricardo Mayorga, who knocked out Vernon Forrest for the welterweight title, when asked whether any of Forrest's punches hurt.
"I'm used to getting booed. Nothing bothers me."
— Tennis champion Serena Williams, unperturbed by the occasional boos that accompany her wins.
"We should blow it up and start all over again. The sport is evolving, but the structure is not. It is the same old scenario. Everybody wants to hold on to their little tournament or little patch, and they are not really looking at what is best for the game. Something needs to be done now."
— Tennis great Martina Navratilova, with her stark state of the game message.
"To me, that's a racist comment — `They're bad for tennis.' They're the best thing that's ever happened to women's tennis."
— Billie Jean King, on criticism that the domination of Venue and Serena Williams hurt's tennis' appeal.
"I don't know that I can achieve what other players have done because they have played a very long time, and I don't want to play that long. All I want is to have fun in what I'm doing every day. I don't want to break records. To become the greatest player ever could take me like... 10 more years, and I don't think I'll still be playing at 31."
— Serena Williams, saying she had no intention of breaking records or playing on just to emulate past greats like Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court, Steffi Graf or Martina Navratilova.
"I have no regrets at all. Tennis gave me so much and a fantastic life. I am so happy. How couldn't I be? I have money and I live in a country that I love."
— Martina Hingis, the former world No. 1, making a stunning announcement that she was retiring at age 22 because of severe ankle problems.
. "They were calling out during points, in between first and second serves, during serves, during overheads, whistling. It just didn't really have a place in a match that is supposed to be about goodwill and friendship."
— American James Blake, complaining about the 3,000 raucous fans at the Dom Sportova in Zagreb when Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic and Ivan Ljubicic beat Mardy Fish and him 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-4 in Davis Cup doubles.
"I plan to go on until I'm tired of this game. I plan to fight, I won't give up my job just like that. I will become No. 1. The problem is that Serena has won the right tournaments."
— Venus Willliams, vowing a return to the top of women's tennis.
"God will protect us. I trust in God and not in people. People make mistakes."
— Venus Williams, telling Belgium's De Morgen newspaper that she is not afraid of the possibility of war in Iraq that has gripped the world for months.
"I am curious to see if I can compete in a PGA Tour event."
— Golf superstar Annika Sorenstam, who decided to tee it up against the men, accepting an invitation to play in the Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas, in May.
"I think she just wants to find out how good she really is."
— Tiger Woods, on Annika Sorenstam's decision to play the Colonial, which will make her the first woman in 58 years to compete on the men's pro tour.
"He's been one of the greatest competitors that not just tennis has seen, but one of the greatest competitors sports has seen."
— Andre Agassi, paying tribute to longtime rival Michael Chang, whom Agassi beat at the Siebel Open.
"I never had one ounce of hankering. I don't think I would do well at all. I'd like to see Annika do well, but we have our own tours and I don't think people should be jumping tours."
— Lindsay Davenport, who was the No. 1-ranked woman in tennis 13 months ago, asked if she was hankering to play in a men's tournament since Annika Sorenstam, the reigning female golfer, will soon play in a men's tournament.
"I just set my goals for the sky, and if I land on the moon, that's OK. I just set this absolutely ridiculous goal. I don't think it can happen. But I set very high goals for myself, and if I lose three, four times (a year), that's not bad."
— Serena Williams, who went 56-5 last year, is off to an 11-0 start in her first two tournaments this year, and has won four straight Grand Slam tournaments.
"It's been a goal of mine to be in that for a while. I just wanted to do some different type of photos, so people see me in a different light. Not just as an athlete."
— Serena Williams, Associated Press 2002 Female Athlete of the Year, on being featured in a four-page spread in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
"I think it's perfect (for Sorenstam). For tennis, it's like (boxers) Lennox Lewis against Laila Ali. She (Ali) would have no chance against Lennox Lewis, and I'd have no chance against Andre Agassi."
— Serena Williams, saying she's not thinking about testing the men's tour like Annika Sorenstam will do.
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