Mats Wilander Quotes

Tennis is basically a game where you try to create an opportunity for yourself to finish the point, because you can't wait for the opponent to miss anymore. Well, if you create an opportunity and don't take advantage of it, you let the opponent back to even, then you are just starting the point over, so you have to take advantage of them.

When you have the ball above the net height on grass, it's easier to play, and when the ball comes at you more slowly, it's easier to play. But when a guy hits hard and deep, I think you have to have been out there playing to understand, but it's hard to really hit the ball.

If you didn't have power, you had to have touch and serve and volley, which I found very exciting and that's why I love watching Federer play, because of those skills.

I'm a decent tennis player. Good backhand.

I like my groundstrokes, I can say. I like it. That's my game - I'm a groundstroke player and I play pretty aggressive.

My father loved the single-handed backhand, so to him, that was the main goal; we were always fascinated by that shot. He taught me all the technique and how to structure my game. I was really privileged to have a father like that.

Tennis is a hard sport. There is a lot of competition all year and you play alone.

I think I have a lot of room for improvement. My serve is okay, but I need to work on a lot of things: return, transition game, backhand.

I watch the ball fiercely to see its height and speed off my opponent's racket so I can decide how I want to hit it.

I have a strong tennis arm.

Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquillity.

I served, she came to the net, it was a passing shot.

On clay, you know that you have much longer rallies, and you must run for maybe two or three hours.

My serve - it's really important for me.

Sometimes I just put some first serve in, which, on break points, it's pretty important.

Of course I don't have a big serve. I have other weapons. That's why tennis is a nice sport.

Slowly from just touching the ball I got to making the ball and eventually hitting a decent defensive shot. Because I don't have a lot of weapons I have to use my speed.

I think I'm a very powerful player; I can hit good groundstrokes.

I first started out by hitting a ball against a wall when I was four.

We had a court in our backyard, and I would mess around with the players on my dad's team. I hit with two hands on both sides, which I didn't stop doing until I was about 8.

Most guys aren't getting a racquet or putting balls back in off my serve most of the time.

Players who win on a clay surface are those who can control the ball, playing steadily and accurately from the back-court, keeping the ball in play and moving it around with changes of speed and spin, and resisting the temptation to over-hit.

We were pretty darn good - fit and ready to play - but today's level is different. Those ground strokes are ever so much faster, coming back at you at a pretty good speed. Footwork-wise, you've got to be ready to hit that next shot. It's a tough time.

The best feeling is when you finish a point at the net.

They call soccer the beautiful game, but if I had to identify just one sport to show members of some alien species what the human race is all about, I'd nominate squash.