After losing to Fernando Gonzalez… 
JAMES BLAKE: He played better today. Served better, returned better. Yeah, I'm sure there's a million reasons, a million excuses I could come up with. That's never been my style, though. He played better than me today. He won. He's going through to the quarterfinals. I'm not.

Describing what being Number One means to her…
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it means that I showed some pretty decent results last year with the help of Justine's withdrawal here and Amélie losing the other day. Yeah, it's a good fact, but it's not something I go onto the court thinking about. Probably at the end of the tournament, once you see it on paper again, it's pretty cool. Yeah, it takes you back to the hard work and the results that you've had.

Describing her goals for the year...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Uhm, that's a good question. I mean, my team asks me that all the time. They even asked me after the Open. I mean, You've won two majors. You've been No. 1. You won The Championships.  I mean, honestly, I still enjoy going out on court and working to be a better player. I still feel like I can be so much better. That's what sort of drives me, because if I add little things that can make me better, I think that I have many more Grand Slams in me.  As long as I have that feeling inside of me, then I'm always going to go out and work on those things and have that competitive spirit in me.

After almost losing to Shahar Peer...

SERENA WILLIAMS: I thought about it, yeah. Two points to Qantas Flight 17, yeah.

Asked if she read positive press articles about herself...
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't read anything. I don't. One time I read like -- I think it was like '99, I read this article. It was really good. I was like, Oh, yeah, I'm the bomb. I just got too headstrong. I was just like, you know what, I don't want to be like some of those celebrities walking around, just so full of themselves. I always want to be down-to-earth, want to be a person like when you meet them, they're the same person that you think of them in the article or something.  I'm like, you know what, when my career is over, I've been saving a lot of articles, I'll go back and read 'em. I don't want to be like big-headed, I can barely get through the door. I think it works in both ways, as well.

Asked about his relationship with coach, Tony Roche...

ROGER FEDERER: No, no, it's not all business. But, I mean, we just have a good relationship. It's really relaxed, you know. I think usually tennis players are pretty laid back. Their coach is usually, too.  I think it's important, you know, to have a lot of respect for your coach because that sometimes can go away. Especially when you make the breakthrough with somebody, you kind of know him before. You're looking up to the coach before, and all of a sudden the coach is looking up to you. Kind of changes a lot throughout the career.  You know, when we got together, I was No. 1 in the world. I think there's always been a lot of respect for one and the other. Yeah, it's been a good really relationship we've been in. Don't see him all the time, you know, but we have decent contact, which was important.

Before playing Andy Roddick in the semis… 

ROGER FEDERER: Look, I don't know what his problem really was in terms his success because I always thought he was playing okay. He just had a couple of shock losses for him really: first round at the US Open and then the year before, he won a couple of rounds. That was just very disappointing for him, you know. That year when he lost to Johansson at the US Open, I thought he was almost like a favorite to win the tournament. He was playing so well. All of a sudden he lost in five sets. Yeah, I mean, I think he's really found his serve again. His serve kind of got lost all of a sudden. He didn't get the same free points any more. He couldn't really, yeah, put the pressure on the opponent because it was too easy to return his serve. I don't know if it's due to change of tactics or change of conditions. All of a sudden, got really slower. He's definitely picked that up again. Ever since, he's been a great player again.

On how she'll look back on her tennis career...

KIM CLIJSTERS: I want to look at my tennis career as a beautiful experience. I know for myself that whatever match I played I fought until the end. I think that's what I want to kind of feel for myself. You know, we all go out there and we all try to play our best tennis.  I think what you appreciate more I think about the whole ‑‑ about my whole career is the discipline, the motivation I've had throughout all those years. I think that's to me more ‑‑ that means a lot more to me than seeing trophies at my house.  That's something I've always enjoyed, playing tennis. I love traveling. I love just being out there. That's something that I had a really good time. I still like it. That's to me a lot more important.

Describing how she prepared for the semis…

SERENA WILLIAMS: I approach the game different. I focus on me. I know maybe what are my opponent's weaknesses are going into the match. But I don't focus, Okay, I'm going to hit three balls to the backhand and I'm going to hit one over here. I don't do that. That's too much thinking in it. Serena Williams is not a thinker; Serena Williams is a tennis player. Got that? And that's what I do best.

Describing how she feels about what people say about her...

SERENA WILLIAMS: I love doubters. You know, I have a lot of people even close to me who doubt. I love doubters. More than anything what I love, besides obviously winning, is proving people wrong. Ever since I was young, even when I came on tour, it was, Venus, Venus, Venus, Venus. Oh, and the little sister. My whole goal in life was just to prove people wrong. And that's one thing I enjoy so much.

After losing to Roger Federer in the Australian Open semis…

ANDY RODDICK: Well, you know, I just got to keep doing what I do. I wake up every morning. I put in as much as I can every day. I mean, I don't know if you'll find someone who questions that.  You do your best not to get discouraged. You try to take it like a man. I caught an absolute beating tonight. There's no doubt about it. There's no two ways about it. You deal with it and you go back to the drawing board. You act like a professional, and you try to keep working hard.

After beating Andy Roddick in the Australian Open semis…

ROGER FEDERER: ...We've played a number of times. Against players like him, I always enjoy playing. Not just because I've been winning, but, I mean, I know how close he was at the US Open and Shanghai. He played well in Kooyong, too. We practiced here. He beat me in practice here. He beat me 4-4. I still remember all those things. To come out and beat him, you know, so convincing, it's a surprise for me, too.

What he wants his legacy to be...

ROGER FEDERER: Geez, I mean, I just hope I'm remembered as one of the good guys, fair, kind of an idol to kids, because that's what I needed to get started. I don't know what it takes to be remembered for all these things. This will only be answered once my career is over.  I'm so happy the way things are going. I'm so proud of all my results and the way I kind of handled things. I mean, it's tough. All these interviews, all this traveling. Life's not always easy. But it's a great life, and I wouldn't exchange it for anything.  Yeah, I mean, I don't know how I'm remembered. You guys write the stories. Then you just have the fans around the world which I've had great support of. Again you saw it, the standing ovation. They really appreciate the hard work and that's great.

After losing to Serena Williams in the finals...
MARIA SHAPAROVA: Yeah, of course. I mean, as much as I can be disappointed about losing a tennis match, I mean, I'll be honest with you, I don't like losing. I know you all know that. It's not fun. You go back in the locker room, like, Darn it, I just lost. Someone is celebrating over there. They're going to be opening a bottle of champagne. It's just -- I think these moments make you stronger. Not necessarily now. You know, I always -- you know, when I win or lose, I call my mom. She always tells me, Look, you got a tournament next week. You got to focus on that. You're going to remember this day in your future, in your career when you're going to look back and say, This really taught me something. This only made me stronger. This has happened many times.  Unfortunately, it was my mom's birthday today and I couldn't win for her. But, you know, she still made me happy, made me realize this is just another loss.

After beating Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open finals...

SERENA WILLIAMS: ...when I'm playing well, it's difficult for anyone to beat me - on the women's tour, just for the record (laughter). It's difficult for anyone to beat me because I have a unique style. I have a unique game. You know, tennis is what I think I was born to do.

Talking about her struggles the past couple years...

SERENA WILLIAMS: There's always times out there where you think, you know, Am I ever going to be looking at another trophy? Especially since I hadn't won a tournament - let alone a Grand Slam - I hadn't won a tournament in a long time. You know, you're thinking about, Wow, will there be another time?  As I said, since day one, my parents, my mom and my dad, have always been so positive. They never stopped believing in me. That helps me believe in me. Venus, as well. I live with her, so I'm with her every day. We always, like, believe in ourselves. You know, it works.

Describing how she will prepare for the rest of the season…

SERENA WILLIAMS: Sharapova is probably going to go home right now and train on some things and she's going to never want this to happen again - as I wouldn't either. Whether it was 7-5, 7-5, if she had lost, she would still go home and train, as I would as well. I'm going to do the same thing because I know someone whose name is not Sharapova, like some other 'ova,' and they're 12 years old in Russia, or wherever they're from, and they are playing hard to get ready for me. That's what I'm going to go train for.