MARIA SHARAPOVA
On the controversial umpire calls:
The first one was the most questionable one, I guess, because she couldn’t find the mark. I mean, I don’t know how to like, she said that to me. What do you say to that?  You can’t find the mark? I mean, it was like, Well, isn’t that your job, is to find the mark? I mean, we’re on clay courts. Usually when there is no mark, it means it’s on the line. Obviously that wasn’t her theory.
And then she said I asked her to I asked the line judge where the mark was. She said, Well, I walked around that area; I might have stepped on the mark.
So I don’t know what to say to that, either. She had an answer for everything out there.
Yeah, and then the second one, that was I don’t know. I’d have to see the replay. I don’t remember if I made a gesture that it was out or not. Maybe that was the right call. But in the moment it seemed like I was correct in both situations.
Glamour and diva. Hmmm. Yeah, that’s me. (Smiling.)
I think a lot of it is perception, and the visual that people have of it’s understandable, because what the outside world sees is you playing and doing press conferences. And being on the red carpet and everything is just so glam and beautiful.
But at the end of the day, it’s all big one illusion, and then reality sets in. And, you know, I don’t go to sleep with my makeup on or don’t wear makeup on the court.
I’m sure divas do that, right? (Smiling).
What she did with car she won in Stuttgart:Â
What do I do with it? I pick a car. Well, yeah, I guess I ship it to wherever they can ship it to. Hopefully they can ship it to the States. No, they said they would.
It might take a little bit longer, but, yeah, I’m excited about it. Excited for a change. I like my car, but maybe I’ll be driving another one, even though my dad sounds like he might steal it.
Asked about her “game plan†and who is in control of it:Â
I’m useless with game plans. That’s probably the one thing he just gets so frustrated with me about. I don’t know. I go out there and I do my own thing, and then he’s like, after the match, like, Really? What’s the point? I mean, what’s the point of having me?
But I apologized when I hired him in advance, so he’s okay.
YAROSLAVA SHVEDOVA
Yeah, after I did the quarters here in 2010, I had not success year of the singles. But then I was focusing a lot on doubles, because then we qualified with Vania for Championships.
In the beginning of 2011 and after my first match, I had injury and I had surgery right after Australia. After surgery I was recovering very long and I come back and my knee was bothering me for half year.
And then my coach left, and I had some tough periods mentally, as well, and I was very down and lonely. Playing again doubles and couldn’t like lost all my singles points.
Since like September I got a new coach, and he helped me out a lot. For this year we set a goal to get my ranking back, and I was working hard. I had a great team around me and working with psychologist and everything, fitness coaches, and I am very thankful to my team. It’s not only my work, it’s teamwork.
No, I had the same plan. It’s just it didn’t work in the first set. She was playing very good. I was very nervous and like making mistakes and, yeah, it’s like played a bit wrong.
But then I figure out it and change my game, and she like start to attack more.
And I knew also before the match she’s defending champion, and she have a pressure to hold. I was relaxed. I was from the equally and it was my seventh match singles. So it was just come to enjoy and try my best.
Yeah, it’s the for now the most incredible win, I think, for me. I always have nice matches against top players, because it’s easier, as I said, because I have no pressure, and I always come to beat them. I don’t need to defend something like if I play with lower‑ranked players.
Yeah, I felt she (Li Na)was nervous a little bit. She didn’t play maybe like she was playing last year. She was doing some mistakes. But I don’t know. Maybe she was thinking a lot or maybe she’s not in the best shape. Like I cannot tell for her. Like you have to ask her.
LI NA
Nothing wrong the second set. I mean, this is tennis.
I mean, I really want to say I was a professional tennis player. This, I mean, only I can answer.
The weather for me is nothing special. The weather couldn’t killing me.
I will find the why. I will find out. But not ..not in today. Otherwise for sure I can win the match.
On the court, I can’t find why. I couldn’t put the ball back on the court.
I mean, just like normal. Tennis, only two player on the court. Only win or is lose. For me is nothing special. If today I lose the match, lose. If I win, just win. If I lose the match, I have to find the reason why I lose the match. I have to try working hard next day and even come working hard next week.
I mean, you say I win last year. I mean, is already last year. So one year already.
Is one year already. How can against for today, I mean, I don’t know why. I just lose one match. So don’t try to push me down.
I mean, of course I have to take off. Right now I feeling especially after losing match, I mean, I can’t pick up the racquet next day to training harder as I can.
So of course I will take some days off to totally forget tennis. Then try to come back in next week.
The next tournament for me is Wimbledon.
Hopes for Wimbledon:
Wish better than last year. I mean, this is only I can think right now, because of course I was sad when I lose the match. I mean, of course after losing match, I couldn’t think about what I should do in the next day.
For me, right now, I want totally relax, and the mind and body, as well, because I think I didn’t play bad in the clay court season.
I need some time to recover. I’m not machine. So, yeah.
RAFAEL NADAL
Yeah, I feel good, no? After the beginning I started, when I had the first break, I started to play very well.
Before I didn’t play fantastic, but it’s true that he started the match playing aggressive, having good shots.
In my opinion, he was unlucky, unlucky in the first set. That’s my feeling, no? 6‑2 was too much.
Later, sure, very happy the way I played. I feel very, very sorry for him. I think he’s playing probably the best tennis of his career, but probably not today after, especially the last set, no, when he start to miss, you know. I saw him a little bit, you know, suffering a little bit on court at the end.
He’s one of my best friends on tour. I feel very sorry for him. But same time, you know, he’s playing great. He’s having fantastic results. He’s No. 14 or 15 in the world today.
I wish him all the best for the rest. If he continues like this, he will have good chances to keep going.
Well, I think that now he’s in the locker rooms. I’m very sorry for him. What can I say? Well, I would tell him, Don’t you worry. It’s going to be better afterwards. You’ll feel better afterwards.
For me, a seventh Roland Garros win is not more important than No. 2, No. 3, or No. 4. What really is important is what it brings me personally. If I win this one, and it’s the seventh one, is it more important than 2006 or 2005? I don’t know.
It’s a personal feeling, a personal sensation, and, you know, records are all very important. But that’s when you’ve finished playing tennis.  When you finished that, you’ll think about this.
But, otherwise, when you’re playing, you think about what you have to do daily.
RICHARD GASQUET
I start better than the finish, for sure, the finish. 6-2, not incredible, but, yeah, I start well. I played well. It was tense. Yeah, I start well, I start well.
But after I think the key was the second set. Playing good. I was feeling confident. No, he’s a big player. Some points he can turn the match, because he’s doing everything good. You have to work on every point.
He’s serving well, returning well, he’s clear in the court. That’s the problem.
If I’m not lucky in the second set, I have two break points, he’s playing well, and I’m not lucky with this game, even the same at 5-4. But I think I can play better in the start of the third.
But after I start when he’s feeling confident, he has a lot of experience, and so after he play very well.
Well, I wanted to do more, so I’m disappointed to stop now, round of 16. Last year it was closer than with Djokovic last year, so, okay, disappointed, I usually stop there, the round of 16, when it’s a Grand Slam. It’s been many, many times, but each time I play against very tough players, and they last long, they have long rallies, they don’t make many mistakes, they have a lot of experience. It’s difficult. It’s up to me to continue.
You know, I played several good matches here. It was not easy to reach the round of 16, so I’m happy; yet disappointed, disappointed because I have to stop now.
I started well. I thought I could do better than this.
KAIA KANEPI
Asked if she can beat Maria Sharapova in her next match:
If I play well, of course. Why not? But I have to play really well.
I think she is a very good player of course and a great fighter and she hits really hard.
I just have to be ready.
I don’t know her as a person.
ANDY MURRAY
Yeah, I think that was always going to be important today. He obviously started the match well, but, yeah, I started to use the energy from the crowd in a positive way and obviously turned it around and played very well the last few sets.
I wouldn’t say it got too much. I mean, yeah, it’s almost like playing a sort of a football match. And I like football. I enjoyed I mean, I enjoyed myself on the court today.
It’s the most fun I’ve had on the court in a while, so I wasn’t so sort of shying away from the fact that the crowd wanted me to lose.
Everything. It wasn’t I mean, I think some of the shots at the end, there was a lot of really good rallies. I played some really nice tennis the last few sets. And then, yeah, I mean, I haven’t really played in an atmosphere like that before in terms of I played Davis Cup a few times away from home, but that was probably one of the most hostile that I’ve played in.
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JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO
No, but I’m really glad to go through, to play quarters again. I’m not thinking about my knee, as I want to play the best I can. I’m looking forward for the next match.
Well, when I came to this tournament, the only thing that mattered was to play well, forget about my knee. And in the first round, I had to give it all.
Obviously I wanted to refrain from thinking about my injury or anything that had to do with my knee.
Now, this is the second week. We have only eight players left. Very good players. All of them.
Obviously the level is very high. But in spite of everything, maybe I will get a chance to play a beautiful match with Federer. I’m going to prepare the best I can and seize every single opportunity.
Thoughts on playing Federer:
We play fantastic match three years ago. It was close to him, but tomorrow is gonna be a different match. He’s playing really well, and he’s looking to win again here. So the match is gonna be really difficult for me.
But I will try to play aggressive, like every match, and trying to if I have a little chance to win, trying to be ready for taking.
I play an unbelievable match, try to take my opportunities, serve 100%, trying to play winners with my forehand, with my backhand, and put him to raise his game. I don’t like to run too much, so I will try to be more aggressive than his game and looking at unbelievable shots.
Well, when I came to this tournament, the only thing that mattered was to play well, forget about my knee. And in the first round, I had to give it all.
Obviously I wanted to refrain from thinking about my injury or anything that had to do with my knee.
Now, this is the second week. We have only eight players left. Very good players. All of them.
Obviously the level is very high. But in spite of everything, maybe I will get a chance to play a beautiful match with Federer. I’m going to prepare the best I can and seize every single opportunity.
No, every match is a new match, and whether I win or lose for matters regarding tennis, that’s fine. But I don’t want my knee to be a hindrance. And it is not a hindrance. It doesn’t bother me. I cannot say I lost this match because of my knee. Not at all.
I’m going to walk onto the court tomorrow prepared to play my best tennis. And if everything goes well, all the better. If it doesn’t, well, it means my opponent played better than I did.
Jo-Wilfred Tsonga at 2011 Sony Ericsson Open Players Party
JO-WILFRED TSONGA
Yeah, yesterday was tough. It was dark at the end and tough to continue, so the umpire decide to play today. I don’t know if it was great for me or not, but anyway, it was like that.
Today I came on the court with the good spirit. You know, I had a good night. I slept well.
This morning, you know, I was ready to play again.
Q. I read just before the tournament that you said there’s no chance that a Frenchman could win the French Open this year. What do you think now?
I mean, it’s still the same. I mean, I just did maybe 30% of the way. You know, the most difficult is coming.
Before the tournament, you know, I said, For the moment, nobody’s able to win this one for the moment because we never win a Tournament 1000 on clay. That’s why I say that.
For the moment we’re not able to do that, but maybe one day it will happen, for sure. (Smiling.)
On playing Novak Djokovic in next round:
You know, what is good in tennis, it’s always different. You know, every match is different. You never know how your opponent will feel. You never know how you will feel.
I think, you know, it’s gonna be different because I will be in front of my crowd. It’s three sets to win. That’s it.
I think for him it’s tougher. Yeah, for him it’s tougher, because he need to win. Me, for the moment, you know, I did my best results for the moment, so for me, it’s everything’s gonna be positive now.
Of course, I will be free on the court because I have nothing to lose against this player who is No. 1 in the world. And anyway, the pressure will be on him.
TOMAS BERDYCH
Even here you can play quite late. We were finishing 9:30, and this is not usual that you can play that late.
Actually it’s definitely not about the scheduling, but it’s definitely about to do something with this place. You know, as you see everyplace you have at least lights.
Okay, we don’t to have play like a night session, but at least to have decent lights that you can finish the match. That would be all right.
JANKO TIPSAREVIC
I think the only change which I possibly see on this event is having lights on showcourt. But I think 11:00 is also pretty early. I had to wake up today at 7:00 a.m. in order to have breakfast and everything and get ready for the match. So definitely not earlier.
I don’t think they should shorten referees are trying to be strict, but I mean, it’s long rallies. It’s clay court. The ball is not going anywhere. It’s best‑of‑five, so it’s not really fair that the referees are speeding up the game too much.
If there is a possible change, maybe putting lights on showcourt.
NICOLAS ALMAGRO
Yes, of course I’m very happy. I think I played great tennis today. The day was a little bit cloudy, but now it’s really sunny for me. (Smiling.)
Now that win is one of the best moments of my career, and I want to enjoy and I’m very happy with my tennis.
Do you think Nadal is even stronger and more impressive than four years ago, even two years ago?
I am stronger, too, than four years ago. Is different. It’s another match, and I’m ready to fight.
On falling into the flowers during the match:
Well, yes, I fell almost into the flowers. I fell on my bottom, but I’ve got a big bottom so nothing happened. (Laughter.)
It’s a slight thing. You know, I’m sitting now, so no problem, no concern whatsoever. It didn’t really hurt me.
Well, I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed this moment when I landed in the flowers, but nothing serious.