--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's normal that, the first time…" description: "\"I think it's normal that, the first time you meet Federer or Murray or Djokovic, you're going to get nervous. But after a while, they become normal opp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/alexander-zverev-22666_court_i-think-it-s-normal-that-the-first-time_1783041.jpg" --- # I think it's normal that, the first time you meet Federer… ![“I think it's normal that, the first time you meet Federer or Murray or Djokovic, you're going to get nervous. But after a while, they become normal opponents, people you see every week. That's the way you have to think. You can't think of them as legends. When you see someone on court, you have to…” quote by Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/alexander-zverev-22666_court_i-think-it-s-normal-that-the-first-time_1783041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/alexander-zverev-22666_court_i-think-it-s-normal-that-the-first-time_1783041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/545/alexander-zverev-22666_court_i-think-it-s-normal-that-the-first-time_1783041.jpg) > “I think it's normal that, the first time you meet Federer or Murray or Djokovic, you're going to get nervous. But after a while, they become normal opponents, people you see every week. That's the way you have to think. You can't think of them as legends. When you see someone on court, you have to treat every opponent the same way.” [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing top athletes initially feels intimidating, but repeated exposure normalizes them, allowing equal treatment of all opponents. **In simple terms:** Treat every opponent as equal, not as legends. Key Takeaway See all competitors as peers. Themes sports psychology competition mindset Mood focused determined Type motivational advice When to use this quote - training sessions - tournament play - coaching advice Key Concepts normalization equal opportunity performance anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep focus on your own game? - What habits help you view opponents objectively? A Different Perspective Overcoming idolization can be hard when media glorifies stars. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Federer Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federer-murray-1003931/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Legends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legends/) [Meet Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meet-federer-1878761/) [Murray Djokovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murray-djokovic-1003933/) [Normal Opponents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal-opponents-1878762/) [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Treat Opponent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat-opponent-1878763/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [When you play the same tournament as Federer, Murray, Djokovic and Rafa, they have more media than me, for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-martin-del-potro/when-you-play-the-same-tournament-as-federer-murray-djokovic-and-rafa/) [Juan Martin del Potro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-martin-del-potro/) > [If you really want a true confrontation, you treat your opponent with respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/if-you-really-want-a-true-confrontation-you-treat-your-opponent-with/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I've never pumped myself up or made myself angry as some sportsmen do. I think that one should treat his opponent with great respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fedor-emelianenko/i-ve-never-pumped-myself-up-or-made-myself-angry-as-some-sportsmen-do/) [Fedor Emelianenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fedor-emelianenko/) > [It's a basic, elemental universe, one of the last remaining zones where violence and domination sort out who is top dog. That's football's glory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiki-barber/it-s-a-basic-elemental-universe-one-of-the-last-remaining-zones-where/) [Tiki Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiki-barber/) > [Never be arrogant or abrasive. Treat your opponent respectfully if they really and truly believe they are right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/never-be-arrogant-or-abrasive-treat-your-opponent-respectfully-if/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [You might be a legend one day if you just keep your head to the ground and never get overzealous and start thinking you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-wilson/you-might-be-a-legend-one-day-if-you-just-keep-your-head-to-the/) [Bryce Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-wilson/) > [“You will get your father's wealth one day but not his legacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-will-get-your-father-s-wealth-one-day-but-not-his-legacy/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Grew up in a small town where there was only one crazy guy. He didn't even go insane doing anything good, like going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/grew-up-in-a-small-town-where-there-was-only-one-crazy-guy-he-didn-t/) [Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [There are so many great artists, I think, who kind of suffer from being icons, legends, acknowledged masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/there-are-so-many-great-artists-i-think-who-kind-of-suffer-from-being/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by Alexander Zverev > [I don't go to nightclubs or discoteque. That's not going to happen. I wear Zegna all the time. Outside of the court, I'm wearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-don-t-go-to-nightclubs-or-discoteque-that-s-not-going-to-happen-i/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [Booing - I never like it. We see it in other sports all the time, but in tennis, it's rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/booing-i-never-like-it-we-see-it-in-other-sports-all-the-time-but-in/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [I think I'm the first 1990-born guy to win a Masters 1000, so it's quite special to be the first one in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-think-i-m-the-first-1990-born-guy-to-win-a-masters-1000-so-it-s/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [The taller you are, the bigger your serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/the-taller-you-are-the-bigger-your-serve/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [I think tennis is going towards the direction of powerful, hard hitters, and that's what us tall people are. We are trying to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-think-tennis-is-going-towards-the-direction-of-powerful-hard/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [The coaches of some players who are my own age keep saying publically about me: "This guy is going to be one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/the-coaches-of-some-players-who-are-my-own-age-keep-saying-publically/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [The best way is not to read as much from the media and what they write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/the-best-way-is-not-to-read-as-much-from-the-media-and-what-they-write/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [My success has a lot to do with Mischa. He was the one who always used to practise with me when I was little,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/my-success-has-a-lot-to-do-with-mischa-he-was-the-one-who-always-used/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [I'm not going to change and get the emotions out of my game. It's important to have emotions in sport. If you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-m-not-going-to-change-and-get-the-emotions-out-of-my-game-it-s/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [I know that I have the potential. And the opportunities. But I don't say: "I want to win the Australian Open in 2018." It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-know-that-i-have-the-potential-and-the-opportunities-but-i-don-t/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [When I was growing up, I played a lot of different sports. There was a time when I was playing field hockey, tennis, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/when-i-was-growing-up-i-played-a-lot-of-different-sports-there-was-a/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [I try to pay as little attention as possible to people who are not part of my team. What counts for me is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-try-to-pay-as-little-attention-as-possible-to-people-who-are-not/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [I try to play the same way, play the same way over a longer period of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-try-to-play-the-same-way-play-the-same-way-over-a-longer-period-of/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [I've been shadowing my brother since I was a little kid. Maybe that helped me feel more comfortable with the big guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/i-ve-been-shadowing-my-brother-since-i-was-a-little-kid-maybe-that/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) > [Physically, the top players are on a different level to other players, and that's why they're on the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-zverev/physically-the-top-players-are-on-a-different-level-to-other-players/) [Alexander Zverev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) [Explore all 27 Alexander Zverev quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-zverev/) ## More Court quotes > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [I have always worked really hard off the court. I think it's helped me play more consistently on the tour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-draper/i-have-always-worked-really-hard-off-the-court-i-think-it-s-helped-me/) [Jack Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-draper/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) [Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/) > [They will find somebody younger, somebody funnier, somebody more engaged. As long as the court genre is viable, people are going to be looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/they-will-find-somebody-younger-somebody-funnier-somebody-more/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [A federal court has ruled that the U.S. Postal Service must reduce its stamp prices. The change in stamp prices is expected to affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/a-federal-court-has-ruled-that-the-u-s-postal-service-must-reduce-its/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [What I do know is I'm going to give absolute 100 percent effort any time I'm on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-ariza/what-i-do-know-is-i-m-going-to-give-absolute-100-percent-effort-any/) [Trevor Ariza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-ariza/) > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) > [I try to be the clown and court jester and make people laugh. At the same time, you have people in the hospital who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/i-try-to-be-the-clown-and-court-jester-and-make-people-laugh-at-the/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/when-i-went-to-law-school-which-after-all-was-back-in-the-dark-ages/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [What's going on in my life, I never bring it to the basketball court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/what-s-going-on-in-my-life-i-never-bring-it-to-the-basketball-court/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-federer/one-or-two-years-ago-i-didn-t-know-who-i-was-on-court-and-i-used-to/) [Roger Federer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-federer/) > [Off the court, I tend to stick to the classics, but I like to have fun with color and accessories. I'm from Spain, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/off-the-court-i-tend-to-stick-to-the-classics-but-i-like-to-have-fun/) [Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/) > [There was a man named Robert Dear who in court said he was a warrior for the babies, whose ex-wife talked about his Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/there-was-a-man-named-robert-dear-who-in-court-said-he-was-a-warrior/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) [Browse all 4,024 Court quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it's normal that, the first time you meet Federer or Murray or Djokovic, you're going to get nervous. But after a while, they become normal opponents, people you see every week. That's the way you have to think. You can't think of them as legends. 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