“The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight.”

If one’s reputation is a possession, then of all my possessions, my reputation means most to me.

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.

If I were to say, ‘God, why me?’ about the bad things, then I should have said, ‘God, why me?’ about the good things that happened in my life.

Someone once told me that God figured that I was a pretty good juggler. I could keep a lot of balls in the air at one time. So He said, “Let’s see if he can juggle another one.”

I may not be walking with you all the way, or even much of the way, as I walk with you now.

Seven out of 10 black faces you see on television are athletes. The black athlete carries the image of the black community. He carries the cross, in a way, until blacks make inroads in other dimensions.

It’s an abnormal world I live in. I don’t belong anywhere. It’s like I’m floating down the middle. I’m never quite sure where I am.

A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions.

The best way to judge a life is to ask yourself, “Did I make the best use of the time I had?

I don’t want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments. That’s no contribution to society. Tennis was purely selfish; that was for me.

It is not just the more talented player who wins. Some players may try a little harder.

You really are never playing an opponent. You are playing yourself.

Let me put it this way: I think Republicans tend to keep the ball in play, Democrats go for broke.

If you’re paid before you walk on the court, what’s the point in playing as if your life depended on it?

If I don’t ask “Why me?” after my victories, I cannot ask “Why me?” after my setbacks and disasters.

I don’t want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments.

We thought I was going to be a great athlete, and we were wrong, and I thought I was going to be a great entertainer, and that wasn’t it either. I’m going to be an American Citizen. First-class.

No one really sees pro athletes behind the scenes. They don’t know how hard they work. They don’t see how you work on the basics. They couldn’t possibly know. You wouldn’t think that someone who hits like Alex Rodriguez needs to use a tee every day. But that’s how he stayed on top of it.

I was that little kid: I was the one that was looking up to athletes and getting to see them and getting to be a part of it, and I remember those experiences.

My fitness inspiration has always been athletes, my whole life.

Vulnerability is the heart of sport. I love working with coaches and athletes.

I don’t have to show anything to anyone. There is nothing to prove.

As athletes, we stand on the shoulders of giants. We must continue their fight on behalf our community.

Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.