--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Greatest thing in life: Winning a tennis…" description: "\"Greatest thing in life: Winning a tennis match. Second greatest thing in life: Losing a tennis match\" — Jimmy Connors" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/jimmy-connors-13128_inspirational_greatest-thing-in-life-winning-a-tennis_1772325.png" --- # Greatest thing in life: Winning a tennis match. Second… ![“Greatest thing in life: Winning a tennis match. Second greatest thing in life: Losing a tennis match” quote by Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/jimmy-connors-13128_inspirational_greatest-thing-in-life-winning-a-tennis_1772325.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/jimmy-connors-13128_inspirational_greatest-thing-in-life-winning-a-tennis_1772325.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/jimmy-connors-13128_inspirational_greatest-thing-in-life-winning-a-tennis_1772325.png) > “Greatest thing in life: Winning a tennis match. Second greatest thing in life: Losing a tennis match” [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning is celebrated, but losing teaches humility and resilience, highlighting both triumph and growth as life’s valuable lessons. **In simple terms:** Winning feels great; losing teaches humility. Key Takeaway Embrace both victory and defeat. Themes competition humility resilience growth sportsmanship Mood reflective determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - professional tennis - personal development - coaching - mental training Key Concepts Psychology of competition learning from failure Questions to Reflect On - How can you use defeat to improve future performance? - What does losing teach you about yourself? A Different Perspective Winning alone doesn’t guarantee lasting fulfillment; loss can be more instructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) [Things in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-in-life/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [“Winning a tennis match is a bit like receiving religious faith. You can't get there by work alone. You need grace, and you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/winning-a-tennis-match-is-a-bit-like-receiving-religious-faith-you/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [There's so many people going through so many, like, uncomfortable situations. For me to be - I mean, obviously being nervous is natural -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-gauff/there-s-so-many-people-going-through-so-many-like-uncomfortable/) [Coco Gauff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-gauff/) > [For me, losing a tennis match isn't failure, it's research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-jean-king/for-me-losing-a-tennis-match-isn-t-failure-it-s-research/) [Billie Jean King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-jean-king/) > [ I was annoyed and I was crying \[her honest reaction to losing a tennis match at the US Open\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahar-pe-er/i-was-annoyed-and-i-was-crying-her-honest-reaction-to-losing-a-tennis/) Shahar Pe'er > [I never lost a tennis match, I just ran out of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/i-never-lost-a-tennis-match-i-just-ran-out-of-time/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [You have to have brilliant people to work opposite, and then it does become like a real tennis match and this is our sport.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lancashire/you-have-to-have-brilliant-people-to-work-opposite-and-then-it-does/) [Sarah Lancashire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lancashire/) > [You don't simply tell someone to get out there and win the tennis match. You say 'move your feet' or 'watch the fuzz on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-nyad/you-don-t-simply-tell-someone-to-get-out-there-and-win-the-tennis/) [Diana Nyad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-nyad/) > [I hate losing tennis matches, I hate losing in everything I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-bertens/i-hate-losing-tennis-matches-i-hate-losing-in-everything-i-do/) [Kiki Bertens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-bertens/) > [I was - and I am always - the underdog. I think I'm the underdog in life. But I'm always winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/i-was-and-i-am-always-the-underdog-i-think-i-m-the-underdog-in-life/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [There is a whole lot more to life than winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/there-is-a-whole-lot-more-to-life-than-winning/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [“Competition is my life; winning is my only goal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daley-thompson/competition-is-my-life-winning-is-my-only-goal/) [Daley Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daley-thompson/) > [I've certainly had periods when I felt like life was winning and I was losing, so I think everybody can relate to that quandary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gets/i-ve-certainly-had-periods-when-i-felt-like-life-was-winning-and-i/) [Malcolm Gets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gets/) > [Everything about my life is about winning a national championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-dake/everything-about-my-life-is-about-winning-a-national-championship/) Kyle Dake > [Decisions I make, the money, my contract, all of that will handle itself. I don't ever worry about my money. I already have enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-butler/decisions-i-make-the-money-my-contract-all-of-that-will-handle-itself/) [Jimmy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-butler/) > [Life is about winning. If winning isn't everything, why keep score?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lifeofyourparty/life-is-about-winning-if-winning-isn-t-everything-why-keep-score/) [LifeOfYourParty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lifeofyourparty/) ## More by Jimmy Connors > [Back in East St. Louis, tennis wasn't the real thing. If you weren't playing baseball, basketball, football, you were kind of on the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/back-in-east-st-louis-tennis-wasn-t-the-real-thing-if-you-weren-t/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [With everything else that would swirl around me when I got involved in it, tennis was my main concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/with-everything-else-that-would-swirl-around-me-when-i-got-involved/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [Playing in front of 25,000 people and millions more on television, and performing and doing what I worked so hard to try to accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/playing-in-front-of-25-000-people-and-millions-more-on-television-and/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [Big money encourages tanking. In my opinion, tanking is going on even with a lot of the top guys today - it's quite evident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/big-money-encourages-tanking-in-my-opinion-tanking-is-going-on-even/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [I can't say that I was my happiest on court, but I felt completely free. Free from family obligations, free from my own torment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/i-can-t-say-that-i-was-my-happiest-on-court-but-i-felt-completely/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [I was raised by two women, and that laid the groundwork for the way I treat 'em: with the utmost respect and admiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/i-was-raised-by-two-women-and-that-laid-the-groundwork-for-the-way-i/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [I think my greatest victory was every time I walked out there, I gave it everything I had. I left everything out there. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/i-think-my-greatest-victory-was-every-time-i-walked-out-there-i-gave/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [The trouble with experience is that by the time you have it you are too old to take advantage of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/the-trouble-with-experience-is-that-by-the-time-you-have-it-you-are/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [When you're hot, anything can happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/when-you-re-hot-anything-can-happen/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [Nothing is like being out there and playing and performing and winning - nothing. But to have an interest in the player? The nerves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/nothing-is-like-being-out-there-and-playing-and-performing-and/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [It was okay for Wayne Gretzky's dad, for instance, to give him a hockey stick, or Joe Montana's dad to give him a football,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/it-was-okay-for-wayne-gretzky-s-dad-for-instance-to-give-him-a-hockey/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [I've been kicked in the teeth more times in tennis than the law ought to allow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/i-ve-been-kicked-in-the-teeth-more-times-in-tennis-than-the-law-ought/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [No, like I said, my dad was never really part of the tennis. His involvement around what I did with the tennis and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/no-like-i-said-my-dad-was-never-really-part-of-the-tennis-his/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [Rather than viewing a brief relapse back to inactivity as a failure, treat it as a challenge and try to get back on track…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/rather-than-viewing-a-brief-relapse-back-to-inactivity-as-a-failure/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) > [There is only one number one. It is a lonely spot but it has got the best view of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/there-is-only-one-number-one-it-is-a-lonely-spot-but-it-has-got-the/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) [Explore all 51 Jimmy Connors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Greatest thing in life: Winning a tennis match. 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