"I don't know how I do it, I really don't"
About this Quote
The doubling - "I don't know... I really don't" - matters. It's not a polished sound bite; it's a man insisting he's not posturing. Coming from Sampras, whose public persona was famously restrained, it reads less like false modesty and more like an admission that dominance can feel automatic in the moment. Athletes at that level often describe "flow" as a kind of tunnel vision where the body executes before the mind narrates. Sampras is pointing at that gap: the distance between what the scoreboard proves and what language can responsibly claim.
Contextually, the quote fits a champion who won in an era where power tennis was escalating but artistry still decided big points. His serve wasn't just speed; it was placement, disguise, nerve. Saying he doesn't know how he does it invites fans to keep believing in the intangible - clutch gene, big-match aura - while sidestepping the more banal truth that greatness is repetition plus temperament. It's a sentence that keeps the myth alive without sounding like he's selling one.
Quote Details
| Topic | Sports |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Sampras, Pete. (2026, January 16). I don't know how I do it, I really don't. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-how-i-do-it-i-really-dont-134377/
Chicago Style
Sampras, Pete. "I don't know how I do it, I really don't." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-how-i-do-it-i-really-dont-134377/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I don't know how I do it, I really don't." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-know-how-i-do-it-i-really-dont-134377/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.









