"Yeah. I definitely think Nadal is probably a big-time favorite."
-- Serena, in response to who the favorite is.
"And it's always a pleasure playing at Roland Garros - coming back here gives me a special sensation."
-- Rafa, on the chills that multiply when he comes back to RG.
“I was at the draw, so it would be hard to miss it.”
-- Baby E, in response to a reporter's question on whether she knew who her first round opponent was. Unfortunately I'm positive this wasn't as snarky as it reads.
-- Serena, in response to who the favorite is.
"And it's always a pleasure playing at Roland Garros - coming back here gives me a special sensation."
-- Rafa, on the chills that multiply when he comes back to RG.
“I was at the draw, so it would be hard to miss it.”
-- Baby E, in response to a reporter's question on whether she knew who her first round opponent was. Unfortunately I'm positive this wasn't as snarky as it reads.
“I’m taking it a match at a time. I’m not putting any pressure on myself. I don’t have anything to lose this year. I’m more confident than I was a couple of weeks ago. I think that’s a step in the right direction.”
-- Serena, on her outlook going into RG. Tom Tebbutt reports that she was curt and vague and he thinks that there's some concern in the Serena camp.
“We’re a
bit different persons, me and him. He can maybe practice one and a half
hours a day and it’s enough for him. I’m a little more stubborn. I need
to have like four hours on the court. He was like (telling me) ‘no,
just practice half an hour and it’s fine for you.' But now he doesn’t go into the tennis (with me). I think he respects me more now.”
-- Dina, on the worst tennis-related advice Marat ever gave her.
“The one thing I’ve done better this year is not to treat it as a completely different surface. And that’s totally changed my game-style. I still play the same way as I do on hard courts but I just need to move better, and I have done.”
-- Muzz, on *not* changing his tactics after Key Biscayne
"As world No 1 she's backed it up by winning the last two tournaments, in Rome and Madrid. She's yet to win a Grand Slam, but she has proved she's the most consistent player out there. She puts herself on the line and you can't really argue with that. If someone competes well at the big tournaments week in and week out then they deserve to be where they are."
-- AKO, on whether her first round opponent deserves the #1 ranking. Pfft. What does she know?
“I literally just walked out there 10 seconds before I got asked, ‘what do you think of the roof?’ I was like ‘I don’t know.'"
-- Muzz, trying to explain his awesome"it's a nice roof, compared to other roofs" quote.
“Carlos Moya, we all know he was a former No. 1 and winner of his Grand Slam here, he came up to me and said it was the best three-set match that he ever watched on this surface. Of course, all the people that have watched the match and have the opportunity to tell me something, they’ve all been saying positive things and comments regarding that match. So, I must be very proud.”
-- Nole, on the greatest compliment he's received since his 3 set heartbreaker to Rafa in Madrid.
“I feel good, a lot of control, much more control than Madrid. The feeling in Madrid was [that] the ball wasn’t inside the racquet, no? You touch the ball with the racquet and the ball go out of the racquet very fast and very early, no? Here the feeling is the ball stays here [again indicating inside the hitting area of the frame]. You can feel more the ball. But, yeah [the conditions] is heavier, and the ball too. My feeling is easier [for me] to play.”
-- Rafa, on home sweet Paris home.
"I'm not even listening to what people are saying. I'm just focusing on myself, just taking one day at a time. I don't think about what I want to happen in 14, 15 or 16 days' time. I live for today. Today I had a practice. That's all. Tomorrow is another day."
-- Dina, doing her best Scarlett O' Hara impression.
“I still believed in myself. I always worked hard and knew I was on the right path. But having to repeat yourself and explain yourself, wasn’t really fun. Sometimes you almost start to think about it being better not to play a tournament. You just want to train and do things without always being watched.”
-- Fed, doing his best Mr. Cellophane interpretation.
"I prefer shouting"
-- Muzz, on racquet thowing. Thanks, Captain Obvs.
-- Dina, on the worst tennis-related advice Marat ever gave her.
“The one thing I’ve done better this year is not to treat it as a completely different surface. And that’s totally changed my game-style. I still play the same way as I do on hard courts but I just need to move better, and I have done.”
-- Muzz, on *not* changing his tactics after Key Biscayne
"As world No 1 she's backed it up by winning the last two tournaments, in Rome and Madrid. She's yet to win a Grand Slam, but she has proved she's the most consistent player out there. She puts herself on the line and you can't really argue with that. If someone competes well at the big tournaments week in and week out then they deserve to be where they are."
-- AKO, on whether her first round opponent deserves the #1 ranking. Pfft. What does she know?
“I literally just walked out there 10 seconds before I got asked, ‘what do you think of the roof?’ I was like ‘I don’t know.'"
-- Muzz, trying to explain his awesome"it's a nice roof, compared to other roofs" quote.
“Carlos Moya, we all know he was a former No. 1 and winner of his Grand Slam here, he came up to me and said it was the best three-set match that he ever watched on this surface. Of course, all the people that have watched the match and have the opportunity to tell me something, they’ve all been saying positive things and comments regarding that match. So, I must be very proud.”
-- Nole, on the greatest compliment he's received since his 3 set heartbreaker to Rafa in Madrid.
“I feel good, a lot of control, much more control than Madrid. The feeling in Madrid was [that] the ball wasn’t inside the racquet, no? You touch the ball with the racquet and the ball go out of the racquet very fast and very early, no? Here the feeling is the ball stays here [again indicating inside the hitting area of the frame]. You can feel more the ball. But, yeah [the conditions] is heavier, and the ball too. My feeling is easier [for me] to play.”
-- Rafa, on home sweet Paris home.
"I'm not even listening to what people are saying. I'm just focusing on myself, just taking one day at a time. I don't think about what I want to happen in 14, 15 or 16 days' time. I live for today. Today I had a practice. That's all. Tomorrow is another day."
-- Dina, doing her best Scarlett O' Hara impression.
“I still believed in myself. I always worked hard and knew I was on the right path. But having to repeat yourself and explain yourself, wasn’t really fun. Sometimes you almost start to think about it being better not to play a tournament. You just want to train and do things without always being watched.”
-- Fed, doing his best Mr. Cellophane interpretation.
"I prefer shouting"
-- Muzz, on racquet thowing. Thanks, Captain Obvs.
