--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I won Wimbledon, I said to God: just…" description: "\"When I won Wimbledon, I said to God: just let me win this one tournament and I won't play another match. Maybe God's telling me to go home, but I don't..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/goran-ivanisevic-18736_home_when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just_2076184.jpg" --- # When I won Wimbledon, I said to God: just let me win this… ![“When I won Wimbledon, I said to God: just let me win this one tournament and I won't play another match. Maybe God's telling me to go home, but I don't want to go home. We are negotiating at the moment.” quote by Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/goran-ivanisevic-18736_home_when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just_2076184.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/goran-ivanisevic-18736_home_when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just_2076184.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/goran-ivanisevic-18736_home_when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just_2076184.jpg) > “When I won Wimbledon, I said to God: just let me win this one tournament and I won't play another match. Maybe God's telling me to go home, but I don't want to go home. We are negotiating at the moment.” [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prayed for a single victory, fearing the end of his career, yet felt conflicted about leaving. **In simple terms:** Wanted one win, feared retirement. Key Takeaway Balance ambition with acceptance. Themes sports faith career transition Mood reflective determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - tournament final - career decision - personal belief - mental health Key Concepts goal setting mortality psychology of competition Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to keep competing? - How do you reconcile ambition with personal limits? A Different Perspective Success may not guarantee fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Let me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-me/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Negotiating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiating/) [Negotiating Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiating-moment-4032500/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-god-255746/) [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) [Tournaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tournaments/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wimbledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wimbledon/) [Wimbledon Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wimbledon-said-4032499/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [Won Wimbledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/won-wimbledon-1256528/) ## Related quotes > [I will have won Wimbledon this year in 2013, and I will stop with that. It was magnificent. You will certainly see me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-bartoli/i-will-have-won-wimbledon-this-year-in-2013-and-i-will-stop-with-that/) [Marion Bartoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-bartoli/) > [Now that I have retired, and even though I wanted to play more, I can always look back and say that at least I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-krajicek/now-that-i-have-retired-and-even-though-i-wanted-to-play-more-i-can/) [Richard Krajicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-krajicek/) > [But, then, Sampras won Wimbledon six times and that automatically puts him among the greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-krajicek/but-then-sampras-won-wimbledon-six-times-and-that-automatically-puts/) [Richard Krajicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-krajicek/) > [I won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 1980.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-austin/i-won-the-wimbledon-mixed-doubles-title-in-1980/) [Tracy Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-austin/) > [I can't become satisfied, because if I get satisfied, I'll be like, "Oh, I've won Wimbledon, I've won the U.S. Open. Now can I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/i-can-t-become-satisfied-because-if-i-get-satisfied-i-ll-be-like-oh-i/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [If you want to be a tennis player, then mould yourself on Roger Federer. I won three Wimbledon titles and I wish I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/if-you-want-to-be-a-tennis-player-then-mould-yourself-on-roger/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [I've always tried to be the same person I was before I won Wimbledon, but it has been very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-kvitova/i-ve-always-tried-to-be-the-same-person-i-was-before-i-won-wimbledon/) [Petra Kvitova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-kvitova/) > [I won Wimbledon when I was 19 and again after I had a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-won-wimbledon-when-i-was-19-and-again-after-i-had-a-child/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [Borg's won Wimbledon four straight times and out there he has just lost an 18-16 tie breaker. You'd think maybe once he'd let up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/borg-s-won-wimbledon-four-straight-times-and-out-there-he-has-just/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [I don't care now if I ever win a match in my life again. Whatever I do in my life, wherever I go, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/i-don-t-care-now-if-i-ever-win-a-match-in-my-life-again-whatever-i-do/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [My sporting hero was Drazen Petrovic, the NBA basketball player, who was killed in a car accident in 1993. He was a good friend,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/my-sporting-hero-was-drazen-petrovic-the-nba-basketball-player-who/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [Winning Wimbledon was a great feeling and it is still a great feeling. It has given me so much confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/winning-wimbledon-was-a-great-feeling-and-it-is-still-a-great-feeling/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [I think I owe it to myself and my fans in Britain to play one more Wimbledon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/i-think-i-owe-it-to-myself-and-my-fans-in-britain-to-play-one-more/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [Donald Trump so far is sending a signal that he's going to run the government like his business and maybe that's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/donald-trump-so-far-is-sending-a-signal-that-he-s-going-to-run-the/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) ## More by Goran Ivanisevic > [With me, you never know what is going to happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/with-me-you-never-know-what-is-going-to-happen/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [After I won a match at a tournament I tried to repeat everything I did the day I won. Before my next match, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/after-i-won-a-match-at-a-tournament-i-tried-to-repeat-everything-i/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [If I can't serve on grass, I can maybe help cut the grass, paint the lines and serve some strawberries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/if-i-can-t-serve-on-grass-i-can-maybe-help-cut-the-grass-paint-the/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [I think I owe it to myself and my fans in Britain to play one more Wimbledon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/i-think-i-owe-it-to-myself-and-my-fans-in-britain-to-play-one-more/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [Winning Wimbledon was a great feeling and it is still a great feeling. It has given me so much confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/winning-wimbledon-was-a-great-feeling-and-it-is-still-a-great-feeling/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [Its fun to be there with the guys, to practice with them, arrange the balls, do this, do that, but when you play you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/its-fun-to-be-there-with-the-guys-to-practice-with-them-arrange-the/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [My sporting hero was Drazen Petrovic, the NBA basketball player, who was killed in a car accident in 1993. He was a good friend,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/my-sporting-hero-was-drazen-petrovic-the-nba-basketball-player-who/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [I don't care now if I ever win a match in my life again. Whatever I do in my life, wherever I go, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/i-don-t-care-now-if-i-ever-win-a-match-in-my-life-again-whatever-i-do/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [Although we didn't have much when I was growing up in Split, Croatia, my parents always tried to ensure that my sister and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/although-we-didn-t-have-much-when-i-was-growing-up-in-split-croatia/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [At her birthday, my seven-year-old daughter will say that she wants these big cakes and certain expensive toys as presents, and I can't say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/at-her-birthday-my-seven-year-old-daughter-will-say-that-she-wants/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [If you are given a lot of money without having to work for it, you won't appreciate it as much as if you made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/if-you-are-given-a-lot-of-money-without-having-to-work-for-it-you-won/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [I still break racquets, but now I do it in a positive way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/i-still-break-racquets-but-now-i-do-it-in-a-positive-way/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [Ivan Lendl's never going to be a great player on grass. The only time he comes to the net is to shake your hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/ivan-lendl-s-never-going-to-be-a-great-player-on-grass-the-only-time/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [It's great, but there is one problem. She doesn't sleep. At night she seems to turn into a vampire. She wakes up every night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/it-s-great-but-there-is-one-problem-she-doesn-t-sleep-at-night-she/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) > [Actually, I tossed it nicely, landed nicely, like airplane. No warning, beautiful. That's the art of throwing racquets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/actually-i-tossed-it-nicely-landed-nicely-like-airplane-no-warning/) [Goran Ivanisevic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) [Explore all 34 Goran Ivanisevic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/) ## More Home quotes > [Sentiment is the mightiest force in civilization; not sentimentality, but sentiment. Women will bring this into politics. Home, sweet home, is as powerful on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-ellen-foster/sentiment-is-the-mightiest-force-in-civilization-not-sentimentality/) [Judith Ellen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-ellen-foster/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [“It is not the force of the wind, but the depth of the roots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/it-is-not-the-force-of-the-wind-but-the-depth-of-the-roots/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [If your life's at a juncture and you need to think about things, there's nowhere better than home. However old you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/if-your-life-s-at-a-juncture-and-you-need-to-think-about-things-there/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [Most days, I go home and I feel rejuvenated. I feel ebullient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/most-days-i-go-home-and-i-feel-rejuvenated-i-feel-ebullient/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Everything comes home, my mother used to say; every word spoken, every shadow cast, every footprint in the sand. It can't be helped; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/everything-comes-home-my-mother-used-to-say-every-word-spoken-every/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [When you're in the middle of a pennant race, you can't go up there thinking about home runs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-sosa/when-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-pennant-race-you-can-t-go-up-there/) [Sammy Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-sosa/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [You play a part, and as soon as a movie is over and the camera stops, you go home and you're not really responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastassja-kinski/you-play-a-part-and-as-soon-as-a-movie-is-over-and-the-camera-stops/) [Nastassja Kinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastassja-kinski/) [Browse all 25,855 Home quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I won Wimbledon, I said to God: just let me win this one tournament and I won't play another match. Maybe God's telling me to go home, but I don't want to go home. We are negotiating at the moment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Goran Ivanisevic" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just-let-me-win-this-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Home" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just-let-me-win-this-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/goran-ivanisevic-18736_home_when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just_2076184.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/goran-ivanisevic-18736_home_when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just_2076184.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/goran-ivanisevic-18736_home_when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just_2076184.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I won Wimbledon, I said to God: just let me win this one tournament and I won't play another match…” — Goran Ivanisevic", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Goran Ivanisevic", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-ivanisevic/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I won Wimbledon, I said...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just-let-me-win-this-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-ivanisevic/when-i-won-wimbledon-i-said-to-god-just-let-me-win-this-one/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```