I don't know if you can prepare somebody for it because it all depends on what it's meant to them and how much of their identity is tied up in it, when you do something for the first third of your life and then you have two thirds of your life to go, it can be a tough transition.

Andre Agassi

Categorized in : Sports

It's no accident, I think, that tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love, the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature. Even the structure of tennis, the way the pieces fit inside one another like Russian nesting dolls, mimics the structure of our days. Points become games become sets become tournaments, and it's all so tightly connected that any point can become the turning point. It reminds me of the way seconds become minutes become hours, and any hour can be our finest. Or darkest. It's our choice.

Andre Agassi

choices games thinking

What makes something special is not just what you have to gain, but what you feel there is to lose.

Andre Agassi

inspiring inspirational sports

If you don't practice you don't deserve to win.

Andre Agassi

motivational-sports practice winning

Tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love - the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature.

Andre Agassi

tennis faults everyday

All the good stuff is on the other side of tired.

Andre Agassi

tired sides stuff

Remember this. Hold on to this. This is the only perfection there is, the perfection of helping others. This is the only thing we can do that has any lasting meaning. This is why we're here. To make each other feel safe.

Andre Agassi

helping-others perfection motivational

Success doesn't always come in the form of a trophy. Keep striving for success.

Andre Agassi

trophies strive form

Life will throw everything but the kitchen sink in your path, and then it will throw the kitchen sink. It's your job to avoid the obstacles. If you let them stop you or distract you, you're not doing your job, and failing to do your job will cause regrets that paralyze you more than a bad back.

Andre Agassi

regret jobs life

Nothing can substitute for just plain hard work

Andre Agassi

grind tennis hard-work

If I've learned nothing else, it's that time and practice equal achievement.

Andre Agassi

achievement practice inspirational

A strong body listens. It obeys. A weak body commands. If your body is weak it tells you what to do. If your body is strong it'll actually listen to you when you tell it to do something. If you build it right you can overcome some of the obstacles of age and recovery.

Andre Agassi

recovery strong age

I play tennis for a living even though I hate tennis, hate it with a dark and secret passion and always have.

Andre Agassi

passion hate dark

I can live with losing, I can't live without taking my chance.

Andre Agassi

i-can chance losing

The great part about tennis is you can't run out the clock.... As long as we were still playing, I had a chance.

Andre Agassi

tennis running long

Freed from the thoughts of winning, I instantly play better. I stop thinking, start feeling. My shots become a half-second quicker, my decisions become the product of instinct rather than logic.

Andre Agassi

winning play thinking

What you feel doesn’t matter in the end; it’s what you do that makes you brave.

Andre Agassi

inspirational-sports bravery courage

I've been cheered by thousands, booed by thousands, but nothing feels as bad as the booing inside your own head during those ten minutes before you fall asleep.

Andre Agassi

booing minutes fall

You've got to believe you can win. But I believe respect for the fact that you can lose is what you always have to keep in mind so that nothing suprises you.

Andre Agassi

mind winning believe

There's a lot of good waiting for you on the other side of tired. Get yourself tired.

Andre Agassi

waiting-for-you tired waiting

I feel old when I see mousse in my opponent's hair.

Andre Agassi

opponents hair feels