--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is the single most important quality…" description: "\"What is the single most important quality in a tennis champion? I would have to say desire, staying in there and winning matches when you are not playi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/john-mcenroe-11362_champion_what-is-the-single-most-important-qualit_2892281.jpg" --- # What is the single most important quality in a tennis… ![“What is the single most important quality in a tennis champion? I would have to say desire, staying in there and winning matches when you are not playing that well.” quote by John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/john-mcenroe-11362_champion_what-is-the-single-most-important-qualit_2892281.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/john-mcenroe-11362_champion_what-is-the-single-most-important-qualit_2892281.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/734/john-mcenroe-11362_champion_what-is-the-single-most-important-qualit_2892281.jpg) > “What is the single most important quality in a tennis champion? I would have to say desire, staying in there and winning matches when you are not playing that well.” [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A champion’s key trait is desire, perseverance, and the ability to win despite poor performance. **In simple terms:** Desire and resilience define a champion. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner drive. Themes sports psychology performance Mood determined inspirational Type motivational sports When to use this quote - training - competition - personal setbacks - coaching Key Concepts motivation grit Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your desire? - How do you stay motivated when losing? A Different Perspective Desire alone may not guarantee success without skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [Grand Slams are four tournaments a year, so of course those are the big ones, those are the ones that people and us players…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/grand-slams-are-four-tournaments-a-year-so-of-course-those-are-the/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [Maybe, one other match better; but if you look at the tournament as a whole, I played very high quality tennis for seven matches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-krajicek/maybe-one-other-match-better-but-if-you-look-at-the-tournament-as-a/) [Richard Krajicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-krajicek/) > [The days of a tennis champion as a gender rights leader are over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-eisen/the-days-of-a-tennis-champion-as-a-gender-rights-leader-are-over/) [Rich Eisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-eisen/) > [To be a tennis champion, you have to be inflexible. You have to be stubborn. You have to be arrogant. You have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-evert/to-be-a-tennis-champion-you-have-to-be-inflexible-you-have-to-be/) [Chris Evert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-evert/) > [I think I've already got the main thing I've always wanted, which is to be somebody, to have an identify. I'm Althea Gibson, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/althea-gibson/i-think-i-ve-already-got-the-main-thing-i-ve-always-wanted-which-is/) [Althea Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/althea-gibson/) > [Leadership is by far the most important quality when it comes to making a show that's going to last and of superb quality, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-braugher/leadership-is-by-far-the-most-important-quality-when-it-comes-to/) [Andre Braugher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-braugher/) > [The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You've got to be accountable for who you are. It's too easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/the-most-important-quality-i-look-for-in-a-player-is-accountability/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [There are times when quantity is at least as important as quality in learning an art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-watt-evans/there-are-times-when-quantity-is-at-least-as-important-as-quality-in/) Lawrence Watt-Evans > [The most important quality for a judge is open- mindedness to the arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-alito/the-most-important-quality-for-a-judge-is-open-mindedness-to-the/) [Samuel Alito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-alito/) > [Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important quality in a good leader. Don't fall victim to what I call the 'ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/be-willing-to-make-decisions-that-s-the-most-important-quality-in-a/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [I am trying to show the world that we are all human beings and that color is not important. What is important is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/i-am-trying-to-show-the-world-that-we-are-all-human-beings-and-that/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-ability-to-learn-is-the-most-important-quality-a-leader-can-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most important quality in a partner is a sense of humour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-balding/the-most-important-quality-in-a-partner-is-a-sense-of-humour/) [Clare Balding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-balding/) > [The most important quality of art and its aim is illusion; emotion, which is often obtained by certain sacrifices of poetic detail, is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/the-most-important-quality-of-art-and-its-aim-is-illusion-emotion/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [That's the most important quality for any actor, for us: someone who can communicate what they're feeling without saying, 'This is how I feel...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-fleck/that-s-the-most-important-quality-for-any-actor-for-us-someone-who/) [Ryan Fleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-fleck/) ## More by John McEnroe > [I haven't seen a professional player come out of New York in over 20 years since my brother Patrick came out. Blake spent a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/i-haven-t-seen-a-professional-player-come-out-of-new-york-in-over-20/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [Believe it or not, I was a pretty shy youngster growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/believe-it-or-not-i-was-a-pretty-shy-youngster-growing-up/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [The important thing is to learn a lesson every time you lose. Life is a learning process and you have to try to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/the-important-thing-is-to-learn-a-lesson-every-time-you-lose-life-is/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [The 1980 Wimbledon final with Borg - that's the one I was most proud of to be part of. It's talked about as one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/the-1980-wimbledon-final-with-borg-that-s-the-one-i-was-most-proud-of/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [I'd like to think I could have and should have won more, but that's not the point. And I was at the point where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/i-d-like-to-think-i-could-have-and-should-have-won-more-but-that-s/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [The greatest compliment I ever got was when people called me an artist, and I understand that solo aspect of being an artist, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/the-greatest-compliment-i-ever-got-was-when-people-called-me-an/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [I'd like to be the commissioner of tennis, but do I want to get into politics? Sometimes I have delusions of grandeur that that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/i-d-like-to-be-the-commissioner-of-tennis-but-do-i-want-to-get-into/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [There's too much money and too many nice guys around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/there-s-too-much-money-and-too-many-nice-guys-around/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [No one cares about the Davis Cup. How many people know I won five Davis Cups and seven majors, but that I rarely played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/no-one-cares-about-the-davis-cup-how-many-people-know-i-won-five/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [I think it's the mark of a great player to be confident in tough situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/i-think-it-s-the-mark-of-a-great-player-to-be-confident-in-tough/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [As they say in sports, the older you get, the better you used to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/as-they-say-in-sports-the-older-you-get-the-better-you-used-to-be/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [The good part of having six kids is, there's always one who wants to hug you and say, 'Daddy, I love you.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/the-good-part-of-having-six-kids-is-there-s-always-one-who-wants-to/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [Well I think that's probably one of a few, where I grew up in the City of New York, it's got a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/well-i-think-that-s-probably-one-of-a-few-where-i-grew-up-in-the-city/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [To be involved in a senior tournament back in the States is very satisfying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/to-be-involved-in-a-senior-tournament-back-in-the-states-is-very/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [Let's hope his nerves will run through his veins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/let-s-hope-his-nerves-will-run-through-his-veins/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) [Explore all 60 John McEnroe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) ## More Champion quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [I have to be No. 1 pound-for-pound champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/islam-makhachev/i-have-to-be-no-1-pound-for-pound-champion/) [Islam Makhachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/islam-makhachev/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [I still have to unify my division and basically become the undefeated welterweight champion of the world. I can't lose. It is more added…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-spence-jr/i-still-have-to-unify-my-division-and-basically-become-the-undefeated/) [Errol Spence Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-spence-jr/) > [Palindrome as well. My sister's name is Hannah. Father liked word games. He was fourteen times World Scrabble Champion. When he died, we buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/palindrome-as-well-my-sister-s-name-is-hannah-father-liked-word-games/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [ Bernie \[Ecclestone\] is the commercial rights holder so the more outgoing the champion is, the better. Of course. I also do think about our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/bernie-ecclestone-is-the-commercial-rights-holder-so-the-more/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [The truth is the Vintage Vitor never left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitor-belfort/the-truth-is-the-vintage-vitor-never-left/) [Vitor Belfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitor-belfort/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [Winners are born, Champions are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-falcon-scott/winners-are-born-champions-are-made/) [Robert Falcon Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-falcon-scott/) > [It's interesting that the greatest minds of computer science, the founding fathers, like Alan Turing and Claude Shannon and Norbert Wiener, they all looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/it-s-interesting-that-the-greatest-minds-of-computer-science-the/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [To be a champion long-distance runner you have to run on the edge of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toshihiko-seko/to-be-a-champion-long-distance-runner-you-have-to-run-on-the-edge-of/) Toshihiko Seko > [“There is a scene in one of the Rocky movies where after the match Apollo Creed and Rocky are waiting for the scoring of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-passaro/there-is-a-scene-in-one-of-the-rocky-movies-where-after-the-match/) [John A. Passaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-passaro/) > [Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them-a desire, a dream, a vison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/champions-are-made-from-something-they-have-deep-inside-of-them-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) [Browse all 2,649 Champion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is the single most important quality in a tennis champion? 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