Serena's favorite surface and "home court" during a nighttime match in a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium.  One night later, Andy Roddick lost his tenth consecutive match to Roger Federer under the lights in the quarterfinals as well.  The comments of both these former U.S. Open champions after their losses illustrated a lot about their characters.  It's easy to be gracious and say the "right things" when you are winning, but it shows the true qualities of a champion when one handles a devastating loss with grace.  That can sometimes be even harder than the140 MPH serves or rallies during the match. 

Selected comments from Serena Williams after her quarterfinal loss to Justine Henin at the 2007 U.S. Open…

Q. Can you explain what went wrong out there tonight?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I can't. I'm sorry. Any more questions?
Q. Do you think fitness was an issue in this match?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm very fit. I can run for hours.
Q. So what do you think was the difference tonight?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I just said I can't explain that right now. I just don't know, so I can't help you there. You guys I think watched it. Maybe you can analyze it better. I haven't been able to watch it yet.
Q. Can you describe your emotions after the match? Are you devastated by this loss?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I'm very happy.
Q. You fought pretty hard to get back into the first set. She played a good tiebreak. Second set, your level seemed to drop.
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I just think she played better. I just think she made a lot of lucky shots, and I made a lot of errors. I don't think my level dropped.
Q. Are you saying that you lost the match rather than Justine won it?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think that's usually the case with me, that it's for me to win or lose.

Selected comments from Andy Roddick after his quarterfinal loss to Roger Federer at the 2007 U.S. Open…
 

Q. Do you think you could have played any better than you did, essentially in the first two sets, and start of the third as well tonight?
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I played well. I don't know about better or whatever. But I played well.

Q. Is there any qualitative difference to you losing when you play well against him and losing when you play poorly?
ANDY RODDICK: Sure. I mean, I'm not walking off with any questions in my head this time. I'm not walking with my head down. I played my ass off out there tonight. I played the right way. So, you know, it helps, but that doesn't mean I can't be pissed off.
Q. Is it ever hard not to feel sorry for yourself that you were born into his generation?
ANDY RODDICK: No. If I feel sorry for myself I'm a real asshole. Honestly, I get to play in atmospheres like that. You know, I get a lot of opportunities. I'm very lucky. If I start feeling sorry for myself I need a serious sense of perspective.
Q. Do you still think you can beat him?
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. If I didn't I wouldn't be out here.
Q. Did you enjoy the match, other than the end of it?
ANDY RODDICK: I was having a lot of fun out there. I'd have to be completely out of touch not to realize that, you know, what the atmosphere was like out there tonight. If I don't have fun doing that, then I'm not going to have fun playing tennis. It was a treat to play out there in that atmosphere.
Q. Can you try to describe what is it like to be out there in that kind of a match?
ANDY RODDICK: You know, you can just feed off the energy. It's a show. You know, you're just pushing each other. It's a competitive environment. When you feel like both people are playing up to their abilities. Obviously the crowd. You walk out there, you're part of a very small percentage of people who can go out there and hear someone cheer for them, compete on that stage with that amount of hype. So I think, like I said, I'd have to be totally out of touch not to realize that and appreciate it.

Posted by TC at 02:58 PM |