Boris Becker
Highlights
49 career singles titles and 15 career doubles titles; Youngest ever Wimbledon champion (17 yrs 7 mos); 6 singles grand slam titles; Year-end #2 for three years; Led Germany to nation's first Davis Cup trophy in 1988 and again in 1989; Never out of top three in all of 1990; Reached #1 on Jan 28 1991 and stayed there for 12 weeks that year; 2-time World Champion and 2-time runner-up
Quotes
* "Ricky: Who was your tennis idol growing up?
Taylor Dent: Boris Becker."
-- ESPN Timeout Chat, 2001.Jul.12
* "Yeah, for sure, when I was growing up watching tennis, I liked to watch Boris Becker play, just for the style. And Sampras for pretty much the same reason. He's fun to watch." -- Biofile: The Taylor Dent Interview; Scoop Malinowski; 2003.Jan.29
* My dad played in the Seniors when I was 14 or 15 years old and the guys let me in the locker room. I was in there with (Boris) Becker and (Stefan) Edberg and I saw them walking around and getting ready for their matches. That was a pretty cool experience. -- Volleys with Taylor Dent; gomemphis.com; 2003.Feb.18

Pete Sampras
Highlights
All-time Grand Slams singles winner with 14 trophies, including record seven Wimbledon championships; Was youngest US Open champion at the time of his 1990 title (19 years, 28 days); Won at least one grand slam event nine of the last ten years of his career; Twelve consecutive years finished in top ten, nine consecutive years in top three; En route to 2001 US Open final beat three former US Open champions (Rafter, Agassi, Safin); In 1994 won career-high ten titles and held #1 spot every week; Held #1 spot for 82 consecutive weeks (from Sept. 13, 1993, to April 3, 1995); Finished #1 five consecutive years; In 1995 was first player to surpass $5 million prize winnings in a season; Career 64 singles titles and 762 - 222 singles record
Quotes
* "Q. Pete was talking about practicing with you in Los Angeles, that he really thinks you have a big game and a future. What does it do for you to be able to be around him?
TAYLOR DENT: I couldn't really, you know, describe the actual, I don't know, experience it gives me just to practice with Sampras. He's probably the best tennis player of all time. It's tough to put into words what I learn out there while I'm playing. You know, I learn how he competes in his own way. So many things. It would take me all day to say. I mean, every time I practice with him, I feel it makes me a better tennis player by a lot.
Q. How often do you get a chance to practice with him?
TAYLOR DENT: Whenever we're back in town together. That's not that often. But when we do, we probably practice on average every other day."
-- Post-match interview; 2001.Mar.04
* "Yeah, for sure, when I was growing up watching tennis, I liked to watch Boris Becker play, just for the style. And Sampras for pretty much the same reason. He's fun to watch." -- Biofile: The Taylor Dent Interview; Scoop Malinowski; 2003.Jan.29
* "matty (cincinnati): What player, past or present, would you like to meet in a Wimbledon final?
Taylor Dent: (5:29 PM ET ) I guess for sure I'd say I'd love to play Pete Sampras -- b/c it's his court. That's the true test."
-- ESPN.com chat; 2005.Jan.14

Patrick Rafter
Highlights
1997 and 1998 U.S. Open singles champion; 2000 and 2001 singles Wimbledon finalist; 1999 Australian Open doubles champion; Reached singles semifinals of all four grand slam events; Reached #1 ranking in 1999; 11 career singles titles and 10 career doubles titles; 4-time ATP Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award recipient; 1998 Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award recipient
Quotes
* "As I got older, Patrick Rafter became an idol of mine."..."I like to see the qualities that Patrick Rafter possesses. Just gritty, no excuses, no B.S. Just go out there and do it. And if you don't do it, well, it's too good. Just go out there and put it all on the line." -- Biofile: The Taylor Dent Interview; Scoop Malinowski; 2003.Jan.29
* "I actually watched Rafter play Albert Costa one time in, was it Australian Open? He was just fighting like a dog, and Costa was just playing unbelievable, you know. I hope that's, you know, the impression I give out there; that I'm fighting like a dog, win, lose, whatever." ... "I'd like to have his intensity, his will on the court." -- Wimbledon post-match interview; 2001.Jun.28
* "SPORTSLINE: Who has been your favorite player to watch?
TAYLOR DENT: Patrick Rafter, because he has that mentality.
...
SPORTSLINE: Who is the nicest player you've met on the tour?
TAYLOR DENT: Patrick Rafter, Todd Martin, and Paul Goldstein have all been really great." -- Sportsline.com interview; 2001.Mar.03
* "Tennis wise, I look up to Patrick Rafter. He shows a lot of emotion and displays a lot of courage out on the tennis court, and I think that's very admirable. It's a shame that he's not playing any more." -- atptennis.com fan-chat; 2002.02.21
On getting advice from other serve-and-volleyers: "I actually used to talk a lot to some of the guys like Rafter, I talked a little bit to."-- post-match interview; 2005.Mar.28
* "There are a lot of parallels ... I go for more but he had more consistency. In some ways I've tried to copy him." -- St. Petersburg Times, 2005.Mar.23