--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd rather be able to play great tennis…" description: "\"I'd rather be able to play great tennis at a slam than make eight finals of little tournaments and then lose first round of a slam. That doesn't sound ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/sloane-stephens-21605_able_i-d-rather-be-able-to-play-great-tennis_2862791.jpg" --- # I'd rather be able to play great tennis at a slam than… ![“I'd rather be able to play great tennis at a slam than make eight finals of little tournaments and then lose first round of a slam. That doesn't sound too good.” quote by Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/sloane-stephens-21605_able_i-d-rather-be-able-to-play-great-tennis_2862791.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/sloane-stephens-21605_able_i-d-rather-be-able-to-play-great-tennis_2862791.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a1/sloane-stephens-21605_able_i-d-rather-be-able-to-play-great-tennis_2862791.jpg) > “I'd rather be able to play great tennis at a slam than make eight finals of little tournaments and then lose first round of a slam. That doesn't sound too good.” [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prefers playing at a major tournament over winning smaller events, despite lower success. **In simple terms:** Values major events over minor wins. Key Takeaway Focus on high‑stakes opportunities. Themes sports ambition priorities Mood determined reflective Type sports career When to use this quote - athlete mindset - goal setting Key Concepts tournament hierarchy career strategy Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to chase big stages? - How do you handle setbacks at majors? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑emphasis on prestige may cause disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Eight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) [Finals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finals/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-tennis/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose/) [Lose Round](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-round-833699/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rather/) [Round](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/round/) [Round Slam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/round-slam-3872767/) [Slam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slam/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) [Tennis Slam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis-slam-3872765/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Tournaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tournaments/) [Tournaments Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tournaments-lose-3872766/) ## Related quotes > [Id rather be able to play great tennis at a slam than make eight finals of little tournaments and then lose first round of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/id-rather-be-able-to-play-great-tennis-at-a-slam-than-make-eight/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [In every fight, I have a spot that I could lose the first round. When do the oddsmakers ever like me? But it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chiesa/in-every-fight-i-have-a-spot-that-i-could-lose-the-first-round-when/) [Michael Chiesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chiesa/) > [I couldn't care less if I make a fourth-round U.S. Open or I lose first round. To me, everything is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-tomic/i-couldn-t-care-less-if-i-make-a-fourth-round-u-s-open-or-i-lose/) [Bernard Tomic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-tomic/) > [You can see, even the best players, they can lose in the first round.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karolina-pliskova/you-can-see-even-the-best-players-they-can-lose-in-the-first-round/) [Karolina Pliskova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karolina-pliskova/) > [One win, and you're on top of the world. Lose in the first round of the next tournament: you're back to reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sania-mirza/one-win-and-you-re-on-top-of-the-world-lose-in-the-first-round-of-the/) [Sania Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sania-mirza/) > [In the knockout tournaments, it's futile to prepare for a grand finale. You may have worked out many strategies for the final. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viswanathan-anand/in-the-knockout-tournaments-it-s-futile-to-prepare-for-a-grand-finale/) [Viswanathan Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viswanathan-anand/) > [It's the worst feeling in the world - to lose in the first round at Sheffield and then have to go home - because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/it-s-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world-to-lose-in-the-first-round-at/) [Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/) > [I obviously want to win a grand slam, but whatever I do, however long I play, I hope I sustain a really long career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-obviously-want-to-win-a-grand-slam-but-whatever-i-do-however-long-i/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [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/) > [After Indian Wells I sat down with my coaches and spoke about making sure my priority was to peak for the Grand Slams but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/after-indian-wells-i-sat-down-with-my-coaches-and-spoke-about-making/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [I feel like I have as good a shot as anybody out there and I have gotten close in the past, so why not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chang/i-feel-like-i-have-as-good-a-shot-as-anybody-out-there-and-i-have/) [Michael Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chang/) > [The more time you spend on tour, around the top guys especially, you see what they do, the work, the preparation, the organization they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-sock/the-more-time-you-spend-on-tour-around-the-top-guys-especially-you/) [Jack Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-sock/) > [For someone watching, it's amazing to see five hours of great tennis. But I'm not really jealous to stay there for five hours as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aryna-sabalenka/for-someone-watching-it-s-amazing-to-see-five-hours-of-great-tennis/) [Aryna Sabalenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aryna-sabalenka/) > [You don't go home and talk about the great tennis courts that you played, but you do talk about the golf courses you played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-ketcham/you-don-t-go-home-and-talk-about-the-great-tennis-courts-that-you/) [Hank Ketcham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-ketcham/) > [A great tennis career is something that a 15-year-old normally doesn't have. I hope my example helps other teens believe they can accomplish things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/a-great-tennis-career-is-something-that-a-15-year-old-normally-doesn/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) ## More by Sloane Stephens > [It's always good to be recognized, you know, for sport. I think being up there with Venus and Serena, I think, that's awesome. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/it-s-always-good-to-be-recognized-you-know-for-sport-i-think-being-up/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [I like to shop. That's what I do. Online shopping; any kind of shopping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-like-to-shop-that-s-what-i-do-online-shopping-any-kind-of-shopping/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [I'm obviously coming out of the Australian summer with amazing momentum, knowing I can pretty much hang in there with anybody and even beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-m-obviously-coming-out-of-the-australian-summer-with-amazing/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [I train Monday through Saturday. I usually have fitness training for 90 minutes, then I'm on the tennis court for 3 to 4 hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-train-monday-through-saturday-i-usually-have-fitness-training-for/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [I try to look cute all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-try-to-look-cute-all-the-time/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [When I'm sitting at home in the off season and I don't have anything to do, I watch tennis on my computer. It's kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/when-i-m-sitting-at-home-in-the-off-season-and-i-don-t-have-anything/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [I don't wear makeup on the court, but I always wear sunblock. I love getting done up and wearing makeup away from the court…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-don-t-wear-makeup-on-the-court-but-i-always-wear-sunblock-i-love/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [I grip very close to the butt of the racket. This allows me to get a lot of wrist action to create more spin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-grip-very-close-to-the-butt-of-the-racket-this-allows-me-to-get-a/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [I always have applesauce in my fridge, and when traveling I take protein bars just in case I get hungry. They're my go-to snack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-always-have-applesauce-in-my-fridge-and-when-traveling-i-take/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [Id rather be able to play great tennis at a slam than make eight finals of little tournaments and then lose first round of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/id-rather-be-able-to-play-great-tennis-at-a-slam-than-make-eight/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [Always staying focused is something that's been very tough for me. I'm still working on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/always-staying-focused-is-something-that-s-been-very-tough-for-me-i-m/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [I dont wear makeup on the court, but I always wear sunblock. I love getting done up and wearing makeup away from the court…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/i-dont-wear-makeup-on-the-court-but-i-always-wear-sunblock-i-love/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [Good music just makes me happy and keeps me from getting distracted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/good-music-just-makes-me-happy-and-keeps-me-from-getting-distracted/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [The media has dubbed me as someone who can only get up for the big tournaments, and that is not who I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/the-media-has-dubbed-me-as-someone-who-can-only-get-up-for-the-big/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) > [Fashion is very judgmental. It's something where you have to be careful. I have a long way to go before I can be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-stephens/fashion-is-very-judgmental-it-s-something-where-you-have-to-be/) [Sloane Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) [Explore all 29 Sloane Stephens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-stephens/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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