Quotes About Determination

When I wasn't playing with Barbie dolls, I was always playing with different kinds of balls, and my dad said, let's try tennis.

To play against Serena in a final is something special. You know you must play your best tennis.

It was very hard for me to practice and enjoy my tennis, and I didn't know the why, so I worked with psychologists to try and see what was happening. They pushed me really hard.

I just wanted to play tennis. It wasn't a job. It was an ambition. I knew I could make money at it. I was 18 - old enough to think I could do it, young enough not to consider the consequences.

Me, I'm a rising star for American tennis. I'm really proud to represent my country and hopefully I can keep going higher.

As soon as I step on the court I just try to play tennis and don't find excuses. You know, I just lost because I lost, not because my arm was sore.

I just wanted to play tennis. I started because I wanted to pick up another sport and then as I was slowly getting better I wanted to see how far I can go but I always wanted to be myself. I wanted to be original. I didn't want to copy anybody's style.

Tennis is what I do and is part of who I am.

Since a month, two months ago, you know, I've started hitting the ball well. I'm playing some really good tennis. That really helps. I sort of have to motivate myself to get pumped up. It really helps my game a lot.

I just feel like it would be so against my personality to have this struggle in tennis and just give up. I know it's not me, not who I am, and that would probably affect other parts of my life.

For the first couple of years I played really bad tennis. It was so bad that they booed me off the court.

I had not picked up a tennis racket in 15 years, so I tried.

If I didn't play tennis I don't know where I'd be.

I just try to stay positive and focused on the tennis, not let anything get to me, like crazy questions. But I'm tough, let me tell you, tough as nails.

When I wrote my first book, 'The Tennis Party', my overriding concern was that I didn't write the autobiographical first novel. I was so, so determined not to write about a 24-year-old journalist. It was going to have male characters, and middle-aged people, so I could say, 'Look, I'm not just writing about my life, I'm a real author.'

I'm slightly influenced by sport in that I like the idea of trying, like an athlete, to keep absolutely ready. That's an emotional thing, almost. I don't mean physically, although I play tennis. But you try to keep yourself ready.

I have to use other things to help my tennis, like my brain. But I believe that, even when your muscles are not so fast, with the brain and with concentration you can compensate.

With tennis, no one's going to give it to you. You have to be determined.

So, yeah, Dad was right. Tennis was the way to go.

Tennis is what I've always wanted to do, so it is my dream to be on top.

I just go out and play my best tennis.

I'm just super competitive. Squash, tennis, water skiing, computer games... Even if I played you at pool, I'd have to win.

If you start to hesitate with your game, if you start to not go completely with your plan, then it's tough to play your best tennis.

Tennis is a very interesting world. It's a sport of opportunities, but it's a sport of challenges as well. And for anybody to continue to progress, they have to understand what those challenges are.