Patrick Vieira Quotes

You can almost get overwhelmed if you start focusing on Serena being on the other side of the court.

I think today the players are too nice to one another, but that might change with the unbalanced schedule, with teams playing each other more and more. When you face each other that much, with that much at stake, something's bound to happen.

I don't ever want the players to relax in a game.

Ahead of a semi-final, there is always the same buzz. You know you are very close to reaching the final, but there is no way you can relax because then you will be punished.

First and foremost, we have to focus on what we're doing and not worry about what Bayern - or any other clubs - are doing.

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 never read my press when I was competing. I never got caught up in what I was doing at that moment.

I love the urgency of what we do. I like the battles that take place, the jousting.

When you're in between the white lines, the game face is on. I was only focused on the task at hand - out, safe, ball, strike - leaving little time to think about how special a player, moment or game happened to be.

Fear is not a word that describes what I feel when I step out on a tee with Tiger. He's the best player in the world. But it's more of a challenge. That's the word. Challenge. I love that challenge. I love that stage. To play with Tiger, and to see the circus that surrounds you, it makes me focus on my game. It's intense. A different atmosphere.

When you play with the best in the world, it is important that you not lose focus. You must be fully focused. Even a minor error could result in a massive defeat.

If you think about racing too much you may just lose it a little bit.

Once you are on court, everything is different. I focus on the match.

It pumps me up - the whole idea of the bowler marking his run-up, popping at the crease, the crowd chanting, nerves building up. It's a very good feeling. Right from the first ball, I know I have to be at the top of my game.

Once you start feeling the pressure, you start to struggle. That is the beauty of Indo-Pak cricket contests.

I can't worry about techs. I've got to play my game.

This is football, and one cannot be distracted at any moment because the opposition can put you in difficulty and compromise a result.

There are sometimes easier games and others harder, but the Champions League always requires enormous concentration.

On 'Tough Enough' you're in a house with your competitors, living, eating and breathing with them. That's really tough.

When you fully focus in the match, you don't think too much about the atmosphere and the climate. Even if the temperature goes up, we will both sweat the same.

Everything goes out of the window when you start an Ashes series. It's about grabbing the moment.

In a way getting fired up for these matches is what makes the Premier League the hardest tournament for me. Knowing I can lose and still be in the tournament probably makes me relax too much sometimes.

If you pinpointed someone before the kick-off, probably you would become embroiled in a fight, and you would be distracted from what really matters and not play well.

I need it to be do or die to really get focused.

Once you reach the knockout stage of a World Cup, the team that holds its nerves wins.