Helen Wills Moody Quotes

I love the feel of hitting the ball hard, the pleasure of a rally. It is these things that make tennis the delightful game that it is.

— Helen Wills Moody

My feelings, as the last ball travelled over the net, and as I realized that the final match was mine, I cannot describe. I felt that here was a prize for all the games I had ever played.

— Helen Wills Moody

“No player can become accustomed to New York's climate in August in a few days. The playing conditions, the courts in New York and France are very different.”

— Helen Wills Moody

When I play, I become entirely absorbed in the game. It may be a form of concentration.

— Helen Wills Moody

“Spectators often express disfavor of fair decisions.”

— Helen Wills Moody

“Unless a player goes in for intensive play and tournament competition, two racquets are sufficient.”

— Helen Wills Moody

“Balls should be good for at least six sets, and for more for the average player. But if the rallies are long, they do not last as long as this. There is a fuzz on the surface that wears off on the hard court.”

— Helen Wills Moody

“I can remember when, as a beginner, I was delighted with any ball as long as it would bounce.”

— Helen Wills Moody

“The 1927 Wimbledon finals were almost put off because of the rain, which threatened every moment.”

— Helen Wills Moody

“The seeded draw came into being. This means that the two best players of the tournament are placed in opposite halves in the draw, and cannot possibly meet until the finals, if they come through successfully against all the rest of the participants.”

— Helen Wills Moody

“Four times out of five the linesman gets a better view of the ball near him than the player himself.”

— Helen Wills Moody

The angle from which the line and ball are seen makes a tremendous difference in the call, and the player who is inclined to fret inwardly about decisions should realize this.

— Helen Wills Moody