Quotes from the 2008 French Open Interview Room - Week One
Selected quotes from the players' post-match press conferences at the 2008 French Open...
Discussing whether he feels extra pressure coming into the 2008 French Open as the reigning Australian Open champion and leader in the ATP points race?NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, pressure is always there. But as a third player of the world and Grand Slam champion and first player in the race this year, of course there is a lot of expectations. It's normal. But now it's a matter of my mental ability to cope with that pressure in the best possible way. So far I've been doing great. Pressure is a challenge, so you just have to accept it.
Discussing why she didn't play as well in the clay court tournaments leading up to the French Open compared to last year...
ANA IVANOVIC: Uhm, yeah. This year it's -- I'm in different position than I was last year. Last year I just broke into top 10, and, you know, I had much less pressure, honestly speaking. Now I'm No. 2, and obviously I have more expectations for myself. So that's something I'm still learning how to deal with it. And this year, I had to play tournaments that I had to defend the title, so it was a new experience but, you know, I'm still learning. I'm only 20, so I really tried to enjoy every match. I think I'm doing a good job. Obviously it was a little bit hard last few weeks, but now I feel I have my game back.
Explaining what he was feeling and thinking as he sat in his chair after his final match at Roland Garros...
GUSTAVO KUERTEN: …just being thankful for everything that happened to me in all my career. I'm always used to do this once finish tournaments, once I had the wins, too. Just take one minute for myself and really deep thinking from everything that happened in my life. Especially right now, it was more -- more overall, you know, during all these years, all the success that I have, and the opportunity that I have to play on this great event. So basically, thanking for all this great time I have on tennis court.
Talking about what he'll miss about playing pro tennis...
GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I guess these days before the competition. The match itself, once you are there, the part that you can, you know, live the joy of playing breakpoints, set points, you know, playing -- having these feelings that I think only the sports can bring it over. But I guess I had my time, too. I really been very intense for the time that I was around, so this -- I'm not going to have it anymore, but I think I'm not going to miss that much. I really feel as I had my job done. For now, maybe I find another way to feel myself as happy as I was playing tennis.
Explaining what he said on court (in French) after his final match...
GUSTAVO KUERTEN: I know why it was hard, because my French is terrible. (laughter.) No, I try just to say first that for me was really important that the feeling and the success I had here in my three wins over these times. But what feels even more important, and the real meaning for me, that today even I had another great example. The love that people treat me here, the way I could get them involved with my game and with myself. This, I think, was the highest victory for me. And then the other thing that I said was just about how I said, Now it's about tennis. That means, you know, this part of my life was really intense and like my blood. I live this very intense. This tournament was the most special and most motivation -- motivate tournament that keeps me going, like my love, my heart, and everything. So that was basically two things that I tried to say in French, but I think nobody understand me. (laughter.)
Discussing how/whether he adjusts his game on clay...
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah. I mean, every bit of tennis, every bit of my career has been trial and error. You learn from your mistakes. One of the biggest mistakes I made early was adjusting my game too much. I tried to be a clay courter, and I'm not. I'm not a natural mover, playing defensively on the stuff, looping balls back, standing eight feet behind the baseline to return serves and just pushing it in. That's not my game. I'm not good at it. I can't try to be that person, that type of player. I'm going to lose to guys who are much more skilled at that. So I need to play my game and adjust a little bit, be a little bit more patient, learn to play defense a little bit better, maybe work in the dropshot a little bit more, but not completely changing my game. That's what I found to be the most effective way through a little bit of trial and error. Of course every match is still a little trial and error. I always feel like every match I can do something a little better. So I learn from each mistake, and even some of the successes I learn from.
Explaining how his coach, Brian Barker, scouts his opponents...
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah. He's going to go watch the whole thing today and see how he plays. Then what he'll most likely do --which I'm real happy I have a coach like Brian -- he'll talk to other people. He's not afraid. He doesn't have the kind of ego that he can't learn from others. So if we know another guy, another American that's played one of them, whoever wins, if we know an American that's played him recently, or even just any of our other friends on tour that have seen him or any of the commentaries. If Patrick has done a match of his or something, we'll go talk to him. We'll talk to anyone that knows and see if it links up with exactly what Brian saw and take all that into account and talk it over and see what we think works. Of course, every time we come up with a scouting report we have to put the caveat on that if that's not working you have to change. Or if, you know, he was just doing that because of the opponent's weaknesses or because of something else, you don't necessarily have to stick to it so rigidly that you're down 6-3 or 5-3 and wondering why. You have to figure out other things out there. That's why tennis is a little different, because you have to make adjustments on your own as well out there. He'll watch the match and have, I'm sure, a pretty good scouting report. If he watches three out of five sets, he'll have a pretty good scouting report.
Commenting after being upset in the first round...
MARCOS BAGHDATIS: No. Had I been expecting that I wouldn't have come to play. But I have not played for quite a while, so it was difficult for me to come back. But I was lacking practice and matches. I was not making the appropriate choices at the right time. And even though the result shows he had an easy win, I think I had some opportunities in the first set, also in the second set when I had a break point at 4-3. But that's the way it is. That's tennis. But this guy, he played his match, and he played better than I did today.
Commenting on the fact that Justine Henin picked her to win the 2008 French Open...
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA: No. I spoke to Justine before, and I had very good relationship with her, respected her when she played. Now I respect her with her achievements. She was one of the best athletes, and it's really sad she leaving. But I respect her decisions, and I had a short chat with her when she was here. She said, Come on, maybe it can be your year. Yeah, she cheered me up, so it's good. So I thank her for that.
Reacting to the news of Justine Henin's retirement...
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I was definitely very surprised when I saw that evening the press conference that she had, yeah, kind of explaining that she just had enough. That was basically what she was saying, and that it was too much of a pain sometimes to practice or be on the court to play matches or too much stress or whatever. So I was very surprised. It's very young to retire, definitely. But I guess she's -- she's almost done it all, and it's just maybe she wants to get to something else, a different life and different -- not as stressful and, yeah, rigid, maybe, in the program and everything. You have to be careful to -- everything that you do, that you eat, when you sleep. It's really 24-hour job, kind of. So, yeah, I guess she just had enough. But very surprising, definitely.
Explaining whether she had ever thought about "stopping tomorrow"...
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: No. To me, it was never a question of I'm going to stop now. It's more of a process. But last year I asked myself some questions concerning the retirement, and whether -- it was more of do I have the energy to keep going and keep making these sacrifices that I was talking about. So, yeah, these kind of questions were there and were in my mind, and I guess the answer was that I'm not done yet and that I want to still try to do a few good things.
Explaining how she spends her down time during Grand Slams...
SERENA WILLIAMS: You know what? I'm a real -- I always stay inside. I'm a real recluse. Like I've always done that in a Grand Slam. Like for two weeks I'll just stay so focused. I'm actually trying to get out more. Like I'm trying to go to dinner. I'll stay in my house for, you know, two, three weeks. So I'm complete opposite. I actually need to learn how to say, Okay, on my off day I can go to dinner or lunch.
Discussing his mindset after he has won a couple rounds...
ROGER FEDERER: I always feel a little bit easier than maybe the first, or the first two, just because now in the tournament it's sort of slowing down a little bit in the locker room. You've gotten used to the courts, the conditions now. You know, I know what it's all about. The first sort of pressure rounds are through, and now maybe the focus is more on trying to enjoy as well, and playing good tennis instead of trying not to lose in a way, you know. I think that's a big change in your mindset. You can now chase the lines a little bit more, whereas maybe in the beginning you sort of see how it goes and you try to play solid, you know. So now you start going for your shots a little bit more.
VENUS WILLIAMS: No, it's really nothing planned. I just really feel comfortable at the net, and I don't know why. I just do. I like it up there, so I do try to get there when I can, and I just like being at the net. It's just finally kicked in. I should always have been there years ago, but now I just like it and I'm just there and I feel good there. So that's just why I'm there, is I like it.
Discussing the retirements of Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis
VENUS WILLIAMS: Everyone's life is different, and I think all of us are wise enough at this point to know that you never know what the next person is going through behind closed doors. So I think those girls made the best decision for women, for themselves. And the best decision for Serena and I, we make those decisions, whatever they are, despite any criticism. We make them for ourselves, and we make them with our families and the people we love and trust. So that's what we do. My decision to be on tour is the ultimate decision and the ultimate blessing, and I love it here, even if, you know, it doesn't go the way I want. I still love my job, so I'll be here.
Discussing her strategy before she walked on the court (before she lost her ma)...
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Well, even though I had never played her, I knew more or less that what type of game she would produce. And when I said I missed the match, it's because I knew that I should not have accepted to play these long rallies because I know that this is something she's very good at. But I should have done what I managed to do for a couple of games in the second set: hit the ball earlier and play passing shots even if, in that case, my percentage would have been slightly worse. But the objective -- this was my tactic before I got on the court, and I did not go by this plan enough.
Talking about taking one match at a time...
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah. Many, many people think it's cliché, but it's not. We really have to work hard from the first round on. Everyone can be tough opponent if you don't play, you know, the way you want to play and if you make lot of mistakes. So it's very important for us to focus on each match individually. That's why it's so good in Grand Slams that we have a day in between, because it's not so hard many times physically. It's more mental effort. You have to work really hard for each point, you know. And, yeah, you just have to be strong, and sometimes you have tough days and opponents didn't have anything to lose so they can perform much better than, you know, usual. So you have to be really strong and stay with them and, yeah, win these matches.
Discussing her approach to playing "her game" on clay courts and in general...
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, absolutely. To be honest, I just want to go out and play my game. It's as simple as that. And sometimes you just -- you get caught up in thinking that you want to do something more, something extra, and something special that sometimes is out of your hands. You know, especially on a surface that's more challenging to you, you know, that where you're going to have to hit more balls and you're going to have to move a few extra steps to the ball. You have to be more patient. I'm definitely getting better at that, and I'm getting smarter out there. But sometimes you want to go back to the roots, you know? You just want to drive the ball, and that's just not enough at times. And, you know, but meanwhile it's -- look, I'm not a clay court specialist that's going to stand 10 feet behind the baseline and retrieve balls back. I'm going to stick to my guns and do what I do best. But I'm also going to play -- I'm also going to play patiently if I want to win matches, especially against, you know, physically-challenging players that do, you know, hit 10 balls back. But I also have to realize, you know, their game is a lot more physical than I am. If I feel tired then they're feeling 20 times more tired, because they're the one doing all the running.
Talking about whether he is superstitious when he is in Paris in terms of where he stays, eats, etc.
RAFAEL NADAL: This is too much. I go with the same hotel, but is not superstition. We have a contract with this hotel every year, so I didn't have the reservation for the hotel. I have my agency. No, I didn't go to the same restaurant always, no? I change. No superstition with this, nothing. Nothing is special, no.
Discussing having his parents with him at Roland Garros...
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, you know, at such tournaments -- you can't spend much time with your family because you spend the whole day here, more or less. Well, sometimes in between matches you have some time off, and I'm happy they're here. I didn't spend much time at home this year. When you look at all the matches, I didn't have much time over the past three or four months. I spent six days at home, so it's always a good thing when the family is here with me. It's always a good thing, because they are a support to help you. Everything's a lot easier and it goes on more smoothly. You see the ones you love, and that's a help, of course.
Commenting after her loss...
SERENA WILLIAMS: I wasn't nervous. She was getting a lot of balls back, and I might have let that get into my head. I should have just made my shot. She was just making some shots I don't think she's ever made before, or she probably would be in the top 2. But, you know, that was just, I guess, her game today.
Discussing the politics on the ATP Tour and possibly joining the ATP Tour Players' Council...
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah. I mean, It think it's interesting times in tennis, you know. I hope it's -- it can only get better from here. I think we have great stories in the game at the moment, but then obviously the political part in tennis. It's not something that we've been very interested in. I mean, I've obviously been on tour much longer than Rafa and Novak have, together almost. So in some ways, I've always tried to get the players together so we speak at least, you know, have normal talks about what we would like to have happen for the tour. The last few months and years, especially, thanks to Rafa, you know, being open to talk, and me as well, I think we've gotten into very good relationship on these points. And now we can always engage with Novak, and he also seems very keen to be part of that. We've put ourselves on the list, you know, to consider if you want to run. We don't even have to be elected because we're the only three running for it. I think it's maybe an opportunity for all of us, you know, to be deciding also maybe on a few things. And hopefully also inspiring some other players to see, you know, if we're interested they should be interested, as well. And I think the next few months will show what's going to happen.
Discussing his current physical condition...
ROGER FEDERER: Well, you can always improve your condition. That's why I train with a physical preparator, just to be able to -- I mean, I would sometimes prefer to go have coffee, but he makes me work out. You have to work out if you want to be No. 1. I'm happy with the way things are. In the past maybe four, five, six years back, I was afraid of five-set matches. I was afraid of going beyond two hours on the court. Now I can hold five hours, and it's a very good thing. I found it exciting to play very long matches, because I take this as a test. It's also very pleasant with the crowd that starts cheering and playing along. But as far as my condition is concerned, I'm quite happy. And mentally, also, I feel well. No particular problems right now. This is very good when you're going for a Grand Slam tournament.
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