Tennis Panorama News

Some of the notable quotables from day four of Wimbledon:

Rafael Nadal on his second round conqueror World No. 100 Lukas Rosol: “In the fifth set he played more than unbelievable. That’s fine. Before, first three sets, I didn’t play well.”

Nadal on decision to close the roof: “For sure wasn’t the best one for me. But that’s what it is and accept. Accept that he came back and played unbelievable the fifth.

“I was playing well in the fourth. I think I played a great fourth set. Sure the stop this time didn’t help me. That’s the sport. That’s it.

“Only thing that I can do is come back home, rest I need and I deserve. So that’s what I can do, nothing else.”

Nadal: “Sure, I not very happy.  In the end is a second‑round match.  Is not the semifinals or final, so that bothers more, because then you feel that you had the chance to win the title.

“I not gonna say in the point of my career today the only thing that going to work for me is the victory, but more or less.  So I was very far to win the tournament.  I just was in the second round.  That’s painful, because always is tough to lose.

“But, well, that’s sport.  You win, you lose.  Last four months were great for me.  Was probably one of the best four months of my career, playing unbelievable in the clay court season.

“You arrive here, and a little bit of everything.  You play against an inspired opponent and I am out.  That’s all.  Is not a tragedy.  Is only a tennis match.

“At the end, that’s life.  There is much more important things.  Sure, I wanted to win, but I lost.  That’s it.”

Rosol on his upset of Nadal:” Still don’t know, you know.  So many emotion.  I didn’t expect that I can be in.

“I’m sorry for Rafa, but today I was somewhere else and I’m really happy for this, you know.

“Still I cannot find the words.  I still can’t believe it.  It’s like dream for me.”

Rosol on his expectations before the match: “Just to play three good sets, you know. Just to don’t lose 60, 61, 61.”

 

“Where is this match in my career?  It’s the highest.  Never, never happened to me.  Also, Wimbledon Centre Court, you know, I didn’t expect it.  I was going on the court before just to see how it’s looks like, everything, how many people is there.

“Yeah, I still don’t believe it a little bit.”

On bumping incident with Nadal: “Yeah, it’s okay.  He wanted to take my concentration.  It was in second set or third set?  Yeah, but it was okay.  I mean, I knew that he will try something, but I was concentrate and was good.

 

“He was not upset.  He talked to me a little bit.  He just wanted to take my concentration.  I think it’s normal somebody do it like this.”

 

Rosol was asked if closing the roof were better conditions for him: “Didn’t change anything.  I didn’t know what to expect.  Was first time for me.  He already play like this I guess a couple matches before.  For me, I don’t know what to expect from this.  I was surprised.  I mean, yeah, I don’t know what to expect.

 

“So I just went on the court and tried to hit the ball same like before.  Was good.”

Gilles Simon on his stance against equal pay: “I never thought it was a good idea for women to play five sets.  It was not my point of view.  My point of view was just about ‑ it’s a difficult topic ‑ but it was just about the entertainment.  If you just watch how it is working in every other, like, sport, but even for the singers, for everything, you’re just paid by the public directly.

“My point was that I have the feeling that men’s tennis is actually more interesting than women’s tennis.  As in any business or anything, you just have to be paid just about that.  It’s not because we play five sets and they are playing three.”

 

“I am well aware of the struggle.  This is a fair fight.  Actually, I’m just for it in life.  But it just doesn’t working in the entertainment, because entertainment is not about being a man or woman.  It’s just about, as I said, public coming to watch you or not.

“It’s not about how hard you work.  You can work hard and be a very famous singer.  You can work hard and just sing in your bathroom.  That’s the way it works.  It’s maybe sad, but this is the way it works.

“It has nothing to do with men and women.  In life in general, of course, I’m for it.  Tomorrow, if we can answer, if women’s tennis is more interesting than men’s tennis, if the price of the woman’s final is higher than the price of the men’s final, they will deserve to win more money than us.  That’s just the way it works.  This is nothing new.

“Just feel like it’s fair.  Just to say it has to be equal because there is a struggle in life in general, I’m not sure it’s a very good argument.  My point of view still.”

 

“Well, I’m pretty sure they’re thinking the same way as me (ATP players).  Maybe they can’t say it; maybe they won’t; maybe they will lose, I don’t know, $2 million on the contracts if they say that.  I don’t know everything.

“In the conversation ‑ for sure I had it in the locker room ‑ and for sure they agree with me.  Trust me.”

Andy Murray on whether or not the men in the locker room agree with Simon: “There’s a lot of things the guys do agree on.  For example, like at the French Open, Sara Errani, who made the final in singles and won the doubles, because it’s not best‑of‑five sets for the women, it’s much easier to play singles and doubles, so therefore more chance to make money that way, because there’s very few of the singles guys that have a chance or a realistic shot of winning the event will be playing doubles here.

“Same thing here.  It’s five set singles, five set doubles, so even less guys are going to play.  There’s things that we will agree on.  It’s not always just about equal pay, it’s about the way the men’s and women’s tournaments differ, I guess.

“But I think it was him and Stakhovsky.  I think both of them have been elected to the Player Council and have been a little outspoken.”

Maria Sharapova addressing Gilles Simon’s remarks: ” Yeah, I mean, look, we women have fought so long to get equal prize money.  It was a big challenge and nobody really supported us.  It’s been a few years since we’ve gotten that.  We’re all really proud of it, and we continue to build the sport and make it bigger.

“No matter what anyone says, or the criticisms that we get, despite everything else, I mean, I’m sure there are a few more people that watch my matches than his, so…”

Serena Williams after her straight sets victory over Melinda Czink was questioned about being one of the most romantic players on tour and what someone could do to cheer her up: “(Laughing.)  I like these questions.  Well, I haven’t gotten any flowers in a really long time from someone of the opposite sex that doesn’t have to do with business.  When I did get flowers I didn’t appreciate ‘em, so…

“Yeah, that would cheer me up.

“I love roses.  I love red roses.  I love white roses.  I love pink roses.  Pink is my favorite color.  Anything with a rose.”

Responding to Maria Sharapova reacting to Gilles Simon’s comments:

“Oh, my gosh.  Why do you put me ‑‑ you know I can’t bite my tongue (laughter).

“Yeah, I mean, definitely a lot more people are watching Maria than Simon.  She’s way hotter than he is.  Women’s tennis I think is really awesome.

It’s a great fight.  We fought for years with Billie Jean King, and Venus as well, really set the pattern on what we should do.

“You know, I started playing tennis at two years old.  I’m sure he started when he was two years old, as well.  I worked just as hard as he did.  I’m sure he continues to work hard as I work hard, as well as everyone that’s on a professional level.  We are all very professional and all work hard.

With that being said, everybody is entitled to his opinion.  If that’s his opinion, he’s allowed to have one.  I think that’s an opinion, so…”

 

Petra Kvitova in her post-match news conference after her straight set victory was asked to comment on Giles Simon’s stance against equal pay:  “Oh, I think what we can do as a female tennis player is go on the court and try our best tennis, and I hope that the people enjoy it.  I don’t think it’s about the length, but about equality.  I think women deserve in all walks of life, not in just the tennis.

“I hope that the people enjoy it.  That’s it.”

Ivo Karlovic on why he lost his match against Andy Murray: “Foot‑faults.  I don’t know what to say, but it was a little bit outrageous.  In my whole life, ever since I was eight years old, whole life I didn’t do this many foot‑fault.  It was like 11.

“It was never called when it was like 30‑Love or 40‑Love.  It was always when it was 30‑All or in a tiebreak.  I mean, what is this?  Is it Davis Cup or is it Wimbledon?

“After this match, the whole credibility of this tournament went down for me.”