Tennis is a fascinating game that has produced wondrous action, marvelous champions and also a few very profound quotations…
“Tennis is a fistfight without the fists.” – Tracy Austin
“I handle pressure differently than Borg. I’d rather go berserk on court for 30 seconds than let it build up for years. If you keep it all inside, you’re going to crack. I’d rather let it out. Look at Arthur Ashe – he kept it all inside for 25 years. Then, boom, he has a heart attack. Like I say, I handle it differently.” – John McEnroe
“Tennis is, from now on, only business and politics.” – Boris Becker in 2019
“French players aren’t serious. They always do well as juniors. But once they get their first good results, every door opens for them. They don’t have to work anymore. Why should they travel the world chasing ATP points when they’re already rich?” – French tennis journalist
The game is a scandal. But it doesn’t get the public attention and scrutiny you would expect. It’s still played under the rug. In the papers and on TV it’s rah-rah for tennis. But a lot of hanky-panky goes on that no one knows about or cares about. Tennis was born in dishonesty and it has never grown out of it. Historically, the game has always been a bit of a swindle … to uphold the bogus traditions of British amateurism.” – Bud Collins
“If Agassi or Sampras ever tested positive, you guys in the media would never hear about it because they are too important for the ecomonics of the sport.” – Marcelo Rios
“I have heard of cases of the ITF covering up positive tests.” – Jonas Bjorkman
“The top ten players in th world provide the forum to the other 200 players who are out there on the circuit. Without that cadre of people at the top, there would be a lot few opportunities for the other more journeyman-type players.” – John McEnroe Sr.
“Bob Kain (IMG agent) couldn’t create an image out of a bar of soap. I’ve had my image since I was a junior. You can ask the players that. The playboy image probably got me bigger contracts before I deserved them. But it’s been detrimental too. Every time I lose they say it’s because I’m out of shape.” – Vitas Gerulaitis
“Nick Bollettieri said Andre won’t cut his hair because it’s worth five million dollars for all the publicity, notoriety and resulting endorsements it brings him. He’s very unusual and fans like unusual people.” – Tracy Austin
Bud Collins · John McEnroe · Marcelo Rios · Tracy Austin
Sam · July 29, 2025 at 3:17 am
Interesting quote by Bud Collins. I wonder what specific things he was referring to? 🍿
Scoop Malinowski · July 29, 2025 at 10:19 am
Yes it sure was. It’s in the book Short Circuit by Michael Mewshaw. Talking with the author about match fixing and corruption. I was surprised Collins would talk publicly about such scandalous activity but he said everything he said was “on the record.”
catherine · July 30, 2025 at 3:58 am
I think Collins’ quote was a bit ridiculous. ‘Born in dishonesty ?’ Exactly how ? A nice game for Late Victorian middle classes to play in their gardens.
I think Bud was trying to establish that, once again, it’s all Our Fault. the ‘bogus traditions’ I mean. Plenty of other sports, where the origins were not British, went through a similar kind of development.
Michael Mewshaw was always keen on wringing this kind of statement from his interviewees. Mewshaw was a good journalist but I find his writing sometimes a bit irritating.
Scoop Malinowski · July 30, 2025 at 8:30 am
Catherine, the main take away from the quotes is that Collins was not strictly a shill for the tennis establishment. I wonder if Collins explored these dark sides of tennis in his Boston Globe columns? He certainly knew the sport inside and out. I had never read anything he wrote before that exposed corruption in the game. I like Mewshaw’s books Short Circuit and Ladies Of The Court, different and revealing.