" I
was so focused for so long that I just kind of had enough of
being # 1, just too much pressure. Tennis is still a big part
of my life, but it's not what it used to be. I used to live
and die with my wins and losses. I still get disappointed and
frustrated, but there's more to life than tennis. I was ready
to get married. Being married has given me a good balance out
there."
"When
I broke the record at Wimbledon a couple of years ago, it took
a lot out of me. After that I didn't have that steel will week
in, week out. I happened to get married a couple of months later.
It was the best thing that happened to me. You know, it's what
life's all about. You meet the woman of your dreams, you have
a family. That's nice."
"There
were moments where I was struggling to continue to play and,
you know, my wife really supported me and kept me positive and
kept me upbeat. That support was huge for me at this stage of
my career."
"My
wife is a big reason why I've been able to kind of get through
this tough period. She lives with me every day - trust me, it's
not easy. When you're struggling, you're not having fun - it's
a burden. Just showed me that I met the right woman."
"I
was struggling a little bit and some people thought it was about
me being married. And it just felt good to kind of really show
people they were wrong - good that we did it as a team. My wife
supported me and was positive. And those are the moments you
need someone. She was my rock that kept me going and it really
is - it's something special. I don't speak a lot about my marriage.
But I will say that I wouldn't be here, having won my 14th Major,
if it wasn't for my wife. Because she knows how miserable I
was this year and what I was going through."
"She
was there for me. And that - it was why I married her. She is
very selfless and will do whatever she can for me and has put
her career aside for me. And it's really remarkable. And I'm
still pretty amazed by it."
Compiled
by Cynthia Smith from Pete's presscon at the US Open 2002 and
interview with CNN's Connie Chung.