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Classic/Bitchy/Funny WTA quotes v2 - The Ultimate Compilation

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#1 · (Edited)
Alternative title: Why Martina Hingis is the Legend

Since I hit the 20-images-per-post limit I cannot make any more edits to my original post so I have to open a new thread and split my post into 2 parts.

Please tell me if you got any more quotes that are not covered!



Serena Williams

"When I went and played in the final I knew there was no way I was going to lose. I had God on my side and I was just relaxed, and I knew there was only one black girl that day winning. Also I was the only black girl playing so I narrowed down that black girl to me!" – after the 2007 Australian Open

"I just pretty much stood back and let her take advantage of me. And I feel violated. I didn't take my opportunities and I didn't do anything I was supposed to do." – after losing to Justine Henin in 2007 French Open QF.

"She hit some lucky shots." – after losing to Justine Henin in 2007 US Open QF.

"She's a great framer, but obviously it's all talent." – after losing to Sam Stosur at 2009 Stanford.

"I think if you hold three Grand Slam titles then maybe you should be No.1, but not on the WTA Tour obviously. My motivation is maybe just to win another Grand Slam and stay No. 2, I guess." "I see myself as No. 2. That's where I am. I think Dinara [Safina] did a great job to get to No. 1. She won Rome and Madrid."


"Long before we came out here, Hingis was trash-talking everybody." "She's always been the type of person who just says things and just speaks her mind and I guess that has a little bit to do with not having a formal education." – on Martina Hingis

"I would never cheat you like that…Don't think I would do that – I'm not Justine. You know what I mean?" – to Jelena Jankovic after losing in the 2010 Rome SF, on the slight controversy in the third set tiebreaker over Serena putting her hand up when she was not ready to return Jankovic's serve.
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"Fuck you bitch." – after being aced by Venus in the 2003 Australian Open final.


"That's the fucking way, Serena!" – in 2009 Australian Open 3R

"Get a fucking first serve in!" – in 2009 Australian Open 4R

"Come on" – in the 2015 Australian Open Final, after being docked a point for hindrance for yelling "come on" while the ball was still in play.


"I just think my problem is I'm a hypochondriac. [That's] someone that is always prone to get sick, prone to get hurt and injured, more prone than the next individual. That's me. Under hypochondriac, they should put: 'Serena Williams.'" – after losing to Jennifer Capriati in 2001 due to gastroenteritis.
Capriati responded: "Basically, every time I play (her), I'm pretty much used to something going on there."

Timea Bacsinszky drop shots one of Serena's serves in Rome 2010 2R. Serena responds the next point by getting a service winner and said "You wanna drop shot that?"

"I'm going to get you in the locker room for that. You don't know me." "(to the umpire) She better not come to the net again." "I'm from Compton, you know." – to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez after she cheated in 2009 French Open 3R.

"Sorry about that." – to Justine Henin, after beating her in 2003 Wimbledon SF.


"Vengeance is for God, I'm just here to play tennis." – about avenging her 2002 YEC Final loss to Kim Clijsters during the Hopman Cup Final

"The ball landed here. That ball was not out. Are you kidding me? I'm trying to tell you: The ball was not out. Do I need to speak another language?" – to umpire Mariana Alves, in the controversial 2004 US Open QF.

"I swear to God I'll fucking take this ball and shove it down your fucking throat! Do you hear me? I swear to God. You better be glad – you better be fucking glad that I'm not, I swear." – to line judge Shino Tsurubuchi in the infamous 2009 US Open SF.

"You ever see me walking down the hall, look the other way. Because you're out of control – totally out of control. You're a hater and you're unattractive inside. Who would do such a thing? And I never complain. Wow. What a loser. You give a code violation because I expressed who I am? We're in America last I checked...don't look at me, I promise you don't look at me cause I am not the one. Don't look my way." – to umpire Eva Asderaki in the controversial 2011 US Open final.

"People who know me don't think so ;)" – Eva Asderaki, when asked by a fan if she is really ugly inside.
196320


"Don't try me." – to the booing crowd, during her match against Heather Watson in 2015 Wimbledon 3R.


"You'll pay for that." – when Maria Sharapova hit her with an overhead smash in the 2007 Australian Open final.


"Bitch" – in 2007 US Open QF against Justine Henin.


"Gimme More. It's Willy Bitch." – when asked about winning more slams.

"I'm excited because I haven't won a title since March and that's not like me." – after winning at the Beijing Olympics.

"Yeah it was there the whole time." – after losing to Martina Hingis in 1998 Lipton QF, when Pam Shriver asked Serena if the net played a factor.

Interviewer: "33 minutes to move through today, Serena. What took longer? The match or your hair?"
Serena: "You want the truth? My hair (laughs)."

"What's after 2 is 1 so I guess I better be careful (laughs)." – on new World No. 2 Angelique Kerber

"Yeah, I thought about that the whole time I was designing the dress. 'I can't beat these girls; I've got to think of every way to cheat.'" – after the 2007 Australian Open, when asked if she had chosen the colour of her dress so that it would be difficult for opponents to see the ball against it.

"Yeah, I'm pretty much ancient (laughter). Basically ready to have grandkids (laughter). I'm almost your age (laughter)." – when asked if it felt different to her that she was the oldest one in the locker room.

"I'm definitely in better shape than I get credit for. Just because I have large bosoms and I have a big ass. I swear my waist is 29-30 inches. I swear I have the smallest waist. And just because I have those two 'assets' it looks like I'm not fit. I was just in the locker room staring at my body and I'm like, 'Am I not fit? Am I really not fit? Or is it just because I have all these extra assets that I look not fit.' I think if I were not to eat for two years I still wouldn't be a size 2. No matter how slim I am, I always have this (points) and that (points). We're living in a Mary-Kate Olsen world. I'm just not built that way. I'm bootylicious and that's how it's always going to be."

"No athlete has boobs like me [sic]."

"If I lost 20lbs, I'm still going to have these knockers – forgive me – and I'm still going to have this ass. It's just the way it is. I'm the same size and the same weight I was five years ago." – at the 2007 Australian Open, on being called fat.

"I'm an actress, model and athlete, and I'd put athlete third on the list."

"My goal in a couple of years is to try to build a successful fashion house like Armani or Versace. I want that more than anything."

"I'm really exciting. I smile a lot, I win a lot, and I'm really sexy."

"I've been getting my reel together. I think they are looking at me more as an actress because I have a lot of potential and a lot of skills."

"It's amazing, but I guess that happens when you become overly famous. Every week now, I get more famous." on the Bobblehead doll created in her image.

"Unfortunately, no!" – when asked if any of the other WTA players ask her for beauty tips.

"For her it is." – when asked if Mauresmo in the quarters was a difficult draw.

"She did the best she could today and hopefully she'll be able to do a little bit better." – after beating Amelie Mauresmo 6-1, 6-2 at the 2003 French Open.


"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."

"Maria doesn't cross my mind. She's not in my world right now. I have millions and millions of things to think about." – a month after losing to Maria Sharapova at 2004 Wimbledon.

"Unfortunately, I hate to say it, but sex sells." "I know a lot of people who are 12 and doing things they shouldn't be doing. Whether you're an actress or a singer, it's always the sexier ones that are selling more tickets or selling more albums." – on Maria Sharapova

"She won that one game, I could see her pumping her fists. I was like, Oh, boy, here she comes." – on Maria Sharapova, who avoided the double bagel in the 2012 Olympics final.


On Maria Sharapova before 2013 Wimbledon: "There are people who live, breathe and dress tennis. I mean, seriously, give it a rest. She begins every interview with 'I'm so happy. I'm so lucky'. It's so boring." "She's still not going to be invited to the cool parties. And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it."
Sharapova responded in the pre-Wimbledon press conference: "If she wants to talk about something personal, maybe she should talk about her relationship and her boyfriend that was married and is getting a divorce and has kids. I just think she should be talking about her accomplishments, her achievements, rather than everything else that's just getting attention and controversy. Nobody really cares about what I have to say, my opinions. If I speak to my friends, that's one thing. But I don't go out and try to create things that shouldn't be really talked about."
(Later Sharapova lost to Michelle Larcher de Brito in 2R and Serena lost to Sabine Lisicki in 4R.)

In an interview with People Magazine:
A really embarrassing moment: A fellow tennis player hit on me – but in the same locker room as me! I was just like, "I like guys!"
Something overrated: Maria Sharapova

"Yeah, I watch it every day. Every night to get ready." – when asked if she ever watched the 2015 US Open SF match in which she lost to Roberta Vinci.

"That young girl" – referring to Melanie Oudin throughout her interview.

Reporter: "Daniela is obviously hurting for different reasons at the moment. How would you feel if you would have gone out and lost to a woman who was playing on one leg?"
Serena: "If she was Serena Williams, I wouldn't feel that bad (smiling)."
– after gutting out a 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-2 win in R16 at Wimbledon over Daniela Hantuchova.

"I used to want to be like John McEnroe. I wanted to be like him as a person. That controversy was very exciting for me back then."

"There are like 50 Russian players in the top 10."

"It's a lot of bling to play with. You got to have the bling." – on playing at the US Open wearing $40K diamond earrings.

"No, I don't read the papers. I just look at the pictures."

"I make people's careers."

"I have a wonderful white coat I can wear on the court and also in New York for those rainy days...it's lady-like and goes perfect with my personality."

When asked what was on her tennis bucket list after Cincy: "Stuttgart", then paused for so long that the entire room started laughing. (Source: ‏@SI_BTBaseline)

"I can always blame her if things don't go right. I'm never wrong!" – on Venus after beating Pavlyuchenkova/Safarova 6-1, 7-6(3) at the 2013 US Open.

"What about her… I forgot it (laughs)" – when asked about Justine Henin and the infamous 2003 French Open SF.

"Question- I keep hearing about an admittance to someone cheating me & lying about it after at the French open? Did she confess finally?" – when told by fans that Justine Henin had admitted cheating in 2003 French Open SF.
(Caroline Wozniacki responded: "hahahaha!!". Lindsay Davenport quoted Serena and added: "OMG-luv it")




Maria Sharapova

"That's so old." – when Craig Kilborn talked about Anna Kournikova in 2003.

"I'm not the next Kournikova. I want to win matches."

"People seem to forget that Anna [Kournikova] isn't in the picture anymore. It's Maria-time now." – in Sports Illustrated

Serena Williams: "Actually, I don't believe I played a Wimbledon final"
Sharapova responded: "In reality there was a match. She must not have been in reality."

"I don't care what they're selling." – when questioned by the L.A. Times as to whether the sexy WTA marketing campaign featuring the Russian at the WTA Championships was selling sex.

Nadia Petrova, who lost her momentum and match to Sharapova in 2012 US Open 4R due to rain relay: "Unfortunately, it was her lucky day."
Sharapova responded: "Great. I'm the winner, so whatever she wants to call it is fine with me."


"I just won a Grand Slam. The last thing I'm gonna talk about is some fingers or a banana, all right?" "You know, honestly I believe at the end of the day, personally, my life is not about a banana. It's not about what I wear; it's not about the friends I have. My career right now is about winning a tennis match. And right now I'm sitting here as a US Open champion, and the last thing people need to worry about is a banana." – on the illegal coaching incident in 2006 US Open SF.

"He won more points than Caroline did." – after beating Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets in an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden. Wozniacki called on her boyfriend Rory McIlroy to play a point late in the match.
196322


"Are you fucking kidding me?" – to the umpire, during 2007 Australian Open 1R.

"That's the way baby!" – after beating Elena Dementieva 6-2, 6-0 at the 2008 Australian Open.

"This is my home" – after beating Daniela Hantuchova in 2008 Indian Wells QF. (Hantuchova, the defending champion, said in an earlier interview that she felt that Indian Wells was like a home to her.)
Sharapova lost in the next round.


"ALLEZ UP YOUR FUCKING ASS!" – to the crowd who booed her and cheered for Dinara Safina in 2008 French Open 4R.
196318


Agnieszka Radwanska, after losing to Victoria Azarenka in 2012 Australian Open QF, on Sharapova's grunting: "About Maria, I mean, what can I say? For sure that is pretty annoying and it's just too loud."
Sharapova responded: "Isn't she back in Poland already?" "No one important enough has told me to change or do something different."
196321


"RUN RUN!!!" – after hitting a drive volley winner at 3-4 30 all final set against Radwanska at 2012 YEC.
196335


"Because I didn't do the dance after. I wasn't tired. More than anything, I sensed that she was tired – probably a lot of the dancing that she's been doing – and I took advantage of it." – after beating Andrea Petkovic in 2011 Miami SF, referring to Petkovic's victory dance.

Jelena Jankovic after losing to Sharapova at 2005 Wimbledon: "It was a question of whether I could continue and that's why the score was 6-1. If I play my best I can beat her but I wasn't even close to my previous level today."
Sharapova replied: "You are not the only one with a thigh problem. So I don't say I'm sorry in that way."

"Is her last name Jankovic?" – to the umpire, when Victoria Azarenka asked for a medical timeout for the second time in 2009 China Open 2R


"Check her blood pressure." – after Ana Ivanovic took a medical timeout and broke back in the final set of 2014 Western & Southern Open SF
196319


"It was so unfortunate that Vika was extremely injured today and just couldn't really perform her game." – during the winner's speech after beating Azarenka 6-1, 6-4 in the 2012 Stuttgart final, referring to her medical timeout.

"It's pretty hard being a tennis player and Mother Teresa at the same time and that's just the way it is." – on being booed after her win over Patty Schnyder in the 2007 French Open for dubious gamesmanship.

"This girl that beat me today, she might not win the tournament but she beat me and it probably made her tournament." – on the shock defeat by Alla Kudryavtseva.

"Maybe if I was British, a semi-final would be incredible. I'd be on the front page of the paper. " – after losing to Serena Williams in 2015 Wimbledon SF.

Reporter: "Would you like a group of fans to follow your matches and sing all the way through them?"
Sharapova: "No, I actually prefer writing my own songs and singing them. I think I did a pretty good job of that today."
– after beating Eugenie Bouchard in Australian Open 2015 QF.


"If I was going to announce my retirement, it would probably not be in a downtown Los Angeles hotel with this fairly ugly carpet." – during the press conference in which she announced that she had tested positive for banned substance meldonium.

Q. What is your relationship with other Russian players? You help each other? What is your relationship?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Help each other (laughing)?
Q. To lose (laughing).
MARIA SHARAPOVA: To lose, yeah (laughing).

"Who's in the top 8? I don't even"

"Who's ever measured their IQ?" – when being told that Marion Bartoli has an IQ of 175.

"Who is that?" "Sorry I don’t know who Judy Murray is."

"Take your pencils down, take your grunt-o-meters down, the fashion police, put it all away and just watch the match."

"Reading the newspapers, there's nothing I'm going to learn new about myself, because I know what I said, and you know, I don't need to read what I said, 'cause I know what I said. I like to look at the pictures."



Venus Williams

"Look, I know it's out, she knows it's out, EVERYONE HERE KNOWS IT'S OUT! You don't know it's out." – to the umpire, in 1998 Wimbledon QF against Jana Novotna.


After losing 6-3, 6-4 in 1998 French Open QF to Martina Hingis, who disputed several line calls: "It's her custom to dispute calls."
Hingis responded: "Yeah, it's my custom when she is standing there saying, 'This is out,' and it was, like, right on the line."

Reporter: "You made two mistakes in the last two points of the match, what happened?"
Venus: "Well, I guess I couldn't get the ball in."

Reporter: "What happened out there today?"
Venus: "Well, I went out there and lost the first set 6-0, and lost the second 6-4, then the awards ceremony."
– Venus after her loss to Hingis at the 1997 US Open

"If you wanna hit with me, that's what you get!" – after crushing Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario at the 1999 Pilot Pen tournament.

"I have speed, power, a huge serve, I move very well…those are a lot of things to go up against." – before her Wimbledon 2000 final against Lindsay Davenport.

"Definitely I think it was me, I was either making the points or breaking myself. Obviously, I think, anyone who saw the match would realize that I was the better player, I'm more athletic, I hit the ball harder, my serve is better, I move better……" "The disappointing part is this was a match I could have won, a match I normally would win, a match I definitely should have won, I think. I definitely think I'm better, I know that." – on her loss to Lindsay Davenport in US Open 4R.

"What are you here for if you can't call the ball? It's an outrage." "And you can't lie on that because that ball was real far out. Right is right and wrong is wrong. And I'm not a fool." – to umpire Eva Asderaki at the 2008 Australian Open during a doubles match with her sister Serena Williams, who did not overrule the call despite seeing that the ball was out.

"It would take an act of God for me to play there again." – on playing at Indian Wells.

"Anything which draws attention to me because I am so attractive." – on what works in her fashion world.

"I guess the bumblebee got me off to a bad start." – after a bee harassed her into losing her serve against Britain's Naomi Cavaday.

"I still don't fear anyone. The only things I fear in life are cockroaches."

"That's okay, because, if I would have listened to everyone else, then I would have never made it out of Compton, so I'm living in Palm Beach Gardens now – it's pretty nice." – when she was told that she was placed only sixth in the list of favourites to win the title prior to Wimbledon.

"Normally, I don't think she would beat me because she can't hurt me." – after losing 3-6, 4-6 to Anastasia Myskina at the 2004 French Open.

"Uhm, well, I think I was playing decent, you know. And she started playing like really bad, and it totally threw me off. She started hitting, like, these really weird shots and short balls and, like, just weird stuff. Just like it threw my game off. Next thing I knew, I was playing as bad as she was, and she was able to recover, it seemed like; I just wasn't. I guess maybe it was a good strategy (smiling)." – after losing to Kim Clijsters in 2005 US Open QF.

"I like seeing my name next to her name. I'm good with that." "I really do enjoy our matchups, obviously, because I usually come out on top." – after beating Francesca Schiavone at the 2010 US Open, who said that Venus is scared when she sees her name in the draw.

"She benefited from my largesse." – after losing to Tsvetana Pironkova at the 2006 Australian Open.

"It's a nice bonus but, you know, I have to pay taxes too." – after winning the Grand Slam Cup.

"I wouldn't consider myself cocky and arrogant. I'm confident and I tell the truth."

"I know every single person asking me a question can't play as well as I can and never will, so no matter what you say or what you write, you'll never light a candle to me." – when asked how she coped with media attention throughout her career.




Patty Schnyder

"You disgusting bitch" – to Conchita Martinez after 2004 Charlseton SF.


"No. I don't want to talk – I mean I don't need to talk to her. I don't need to get along or speak what happened. I mean I don't need that. She can do whatever she wants. I don't need her." – on Conchita Martinez

"I don't like playing against her, I can't stand her. Winning one set was enough." – after losing to Anna Kournikova at the 1999 French Open.

"I hate playing her. And I don't play if I'm on the court against her. It's her person and everything around her…It's not her game" – on Anna Kournikova

"Don't pay attention to all this garbage. We all like each other, except Kournikova. She is not nice. I don't talk to her. I don't need her." – in defence of her fellow countrywoman Martina Hingis.

Reporter: "Big challenge, maybe Kim Clijsters."
Schnyder: "Yeah, I don't know who I'm gonna pick tonight. It's a very tough one. I think for the first match after two years coming back it's Bartoli."
Reporter: "But she is Belgian."
Schnyder: "It's not that I hope that Bartoli wins."
– at the 2009 Western & Southern Open, the tournament where Kim Clijsters made her return after a two-year absence.

Reporter: "What was most difficult about playing her today?"
Schnyder: "No, she just had a great start, first of all. Then, yeah, she just is a great athlete. She's striking the ball great. Yeah, it was really tough to get the rallies going and to get some advantage in the rallies."
Reporter: "Is it more difficult since she's been off the tour for a while to know what to expect?"
Schnyder: "No."
Reporter: "So you had a good idea of what she…"
Schnyder: "Yeah."
– after being beaten 6-2, 7-5 by Kim Clijsters in the next round.

"Very funny. Perhaps in the next year Michael Jackson [can get] a gold exempt and Donald Duck a special silver exempt." – Schnyder, who was No. 18 at the time, responded in an e-mail to tour officials on the gold and silver exempt lists for 2003. The "winners" were Anna Kournikova, Amanda Coetzer, Alexandra Stevenson and Arantza Sánchez-Vicario, who all made the list despite being ranked outside the top 20.



Anna Kournikova

"I watched Serena and Venus play, and they're not that good. They've been given more attention than me and they don't know how to play points or how to win….I'm not worried about them."

"I'm not Venus Williams. I'm not Serena Williams. I'm feminine. I don't want to look like they do. I'm not masculine like they are."

"She (Venus) has a big serve, she's a big girl, so I have to just outthink her." "Grass is obviously not her surface, so we'll see."

"People think I'm stupid just because of my blond hair. But, blonds are actually smart."

"The copy is never as good as the original." – on Maria Sharapova

"When I was 12, every little girl in Russia was trying to wear her hair like mine and playing tennis."

"It's that I have a good personality and am a good tennis player."

"It's true I always try to be as seductive as possible but I wouldn't be here if I couldn't play tennis."

"I'm not here to talk about my personal life, I'm here to talk about bras."

"I worked very hard and I earned all the attention I'm getting."

"I think people like me for my tennis."

"A court is like a scene, people want to see attractive people."

"I have lost this battle but I will win the war."

"Please write that I have many boyfriends. In every country I visit, there is another boyfriend. And I kiss with all of them."

"God gives all to those who get up early."

"Boyfriends have to understand my needs. I shower four times a day."

"At this year’s Open, I’ll have five boyfriends."

"The world believes all blondes are stupid and brunettes are smarter. Well, I disagree."

"I am beautiful, famous and gorgeous. I could have any man in the world."

"I love to go to church, it's so beautiful and peaceful. When you leave the church, you feel clean, like everything dirty has gone."

"People ask me 'Why do you have to look good on court? Why don't you just play?' But, you know, when on court, I feel like I am in theatre and need to express myself. Why do I have to look ugly just because I am a sportsman?"

(In 1998) "In ten years, it will not be enough for ladies just to play tennis. People want to see more, crowd makes us stars and we earn money thanks to them. In ten years, female players will play in topless."

"If you saw me with my clothes off you'd see that my body is in great shape and ready to take on the world…I could snap my fingers and have any man I wanted but I have too much respect for myself for that…People can look then wonder about the taste and the sensuous delights of the dish, but when it comes down to it they simply can't afford such an expensive luxury."

Martina Hingis after beating Kournikova in 1997 Wimbledon SF: "I don't think it's such a big rivalry. Everybody is making a rivalry of it. I've always been better. I always beat her at the great tournaments, as I did this time again."
Kournikova's response: "You may be No. 1, but I'm more marketable than you."

"You may have won, but I'm more beautiful and attractive." – After clash with Martina Hingis.

"This gives me some confidence that I could play better. She didn't beat me. I lost. It's good she didn't really beat me because I made all the mistakes, right?" – after Venus beat her in the 1998 Miami final.

Reporter: "What happened today?"
Kournikova: "I played a match."
- after losing to Java Novotna at 1997 Miami

"You can't afford me boys." – in response to some wolf whistles she was getting from the Wimbledon crowd.

"There are a lot of pretty girls. I am a tennis player first of all, that is why I am here, and if wasn't producing results no one would notice me."

"It's not really a shorter skirt – I just have longer legs."

"Booo, I'm so scared." – responding to an umpire that threatened her with a delay of game for excessively arguing line calls at the Sea Island, Georgia, USTA Circuit event.

"You don't think people would go on about my looks if I was No. 500 in the world instead of No. 12, do you? Anyway, as I keep telling everyone, you can't blame me for looking like this on purpose."



Martina Hingis

"I'm glad you're doing this story on us and not on the WNBA. We're so much prettier than all the other women in sports." – to the journalist doing a feature on the WTA in Detour Magazine, 3/98 issue.

"Hi, Tracy. I'm the one who's breaking all your records." – to Tracy Austin

"They always have big mouths. They always talk a lot. It's happened before, so it's gonna happen again. I don't really worry about that." – on the Williams sisters.

"I don't think I'm that dumb – I'd like to see some other people talking in three languages." – in response to Serena's "formal education" comment.

Reporter: "Serena is outside practicing now. What are your plans for the rest of the evening?"
Hingis: "She's outside practicing?"
Reporter: "Yes."
Hingis: "Right. Go more and get cramps, too. Work really hard. I'm going to have a massage. That's what I'm going to do."

Reporter: "Happy to be playing Spirlea rather than Graf or doesn't it matter?"
Hingis: "Oh, Graf was on the other side of the draw, so far anyway."
Reporter: "How about the mental aspect and the competitiveness, are there things in there that you think about that you would like to duplicate?"
Hingis: "No, I am Martina Hingis. I don't want to duplicate anyone."

Reporter: "Do you feel a rivalry starting between you and Venus?"
Hingis: "With Williams or who?"

"Why should I be worried about the future? Right now, almost everything is perfect." – after the 1997 Lipton final

On being asked if she had find a few of Venus' beads: "Oh, yeah, there were like ten of them on the court, on the service line. Well, they were like little ones. Doesn't matter, you just put them away and you play. But it was kind of funny. When I played against Serena, there was like one orange one. Then, seven or eight in the same spot, like the blue ones, she had in her hair. Whatever."
Her response to a tennis official who handed her one of the colored beads that had fallen from Williams' braids and said she should tell people it was a souvenir: "I'll say something better than that."
She entered the press conference room, threw the bead into the crowd, and said with a giggle: "I have a nice present for you. One of Venus' pearls."
– after beating Venus in 1997 Lipton Championships 3R.

"I was very nervous and we were up 2-0 after the first day I saw that match. Patty [Schnyder] was playing against her and I thought, well, this girl can't really play. But she played a different level [against me]. She played so much better because she has nothing to lose against me. Once it came to be very close, she is very chokey." – on Amelie Mauresmo

On Amelie Mauresmo: "She's here with her girlfriend. She's half a man already."
Mauresmo responded: "I pity her, she lives in a golden cage."

Reporter: "There are some people who say Magnus [Norman] is not tough enough to win this tournament. Knowing how well you know him, what is your comment?"
Hingis: "I don't know how well I know him. It's been a short time. Not like we've been together forever."

Hingis: "(when asked if she felt unbeatable) Well, I am." "Arrogant? Sure. Exhausted? What does it mean – exhausted?"
Reporter: "Very tired."
Hingis: "Me?"

"A lot of these young girls, they don't even know what the game is about. They have never seen a drop shot, a slice and all the mixture and variety I have."

"Did you just compare me to Wozniacki?" to a journalist in early 2013.

"You know, losing to her, losing to Mary [Pierce] at the French, I don't think that should have happened. I had a big chance to win the French Open this year, and I didn't take it. Playing Mary there, you know, she's very tough. But still I beat her the previous like seven times. Just shouldn't have happened."

"Do you want me to break your serve first or hold?" – to Lindsay Davenport before the coin toss.

"When I throw my racquet it helps me concentrate. It's just the way I am. It's better than to keep it inside."

"Anna [Kournikova] spends more time with make-up and stuff like that…I think movies would be a great job for her."

"Do you think you are the queen? Because I am the real queen!" – to Anna Kournikova, during an exhibition match in Santiago. Kournikova cried on court and afterwards they fought with trophies and vases in the locker room.

"What rivalry? I win all the matches." – when asked about her rivalry with Anna Kournikova.

"Anna would like to change places with me and win four Grand Slam titles." – when she lost to Kournikova for the first time in five meetings. Hingis said she'd have "lost to anybody that day", and she told the Swiss press she only played Berlin because her mother forced her to, that she didn't care whether she won or lost and that Kournikova's victory "didn't count."

"Rivalries? Look at the rankings. I'm like 3,000 points up. There are no rivalries for me."

"You haven't seen her without her make-up." – referring to her best friend Anna Kournikova, when asked about her beauty in the press conference.

Reporter: "Anna, how was your recent visit with the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq?"
Kournikova: "This was my third tour and I've been to..."
Hingis: "I'm sure the soldiers loved it (laughs)."

Kournikova on the popularity of tennis at Wimbledon in 2010: "A true tennis fan, he will know who Jankovic is, Wozniacki, people that are between [rank] 5 and 10."
Hingis added: "Even Ivanovic."

"(Spits out juice) My game is better." – on her game being compared to Justine Henin's.

"I'm not that surprised. I've beaten better players." – after winning her first tour match in Zurich in '94 over Patty Fendick.

"I'd play mixed doubles next year, but I should give someone else a chance to win an event." – after winning the 1997 Australian Open Women's title

"I've got to play two more matches. Sorry I had to make it short." – to Sabine Appelmans after beating her 6-1, 6-3 at 1997 Wimbledon.

"She's old and slow." – on terminating her doubles partnership with Jana Novotna. Novotna responded that Hingis was "stupid."

"I had a great year. You know, what can I improve? Sometimes I ask myself." – after winning 3 of the 4 Grand Slams at age 16 in 1997.

"Now that I beat Lindsay I feel much better. My technique is better, my forehand, serve, quickness. Everything is good now." – after beating Lindsay Davenport in the 2000 Ericsson Open final.

"It does bug me, being No. 2. When you are used to being a champion, it's like a drug – you want to be there again and again." – after losing the No. 1 ranking to Lindsay Davenport

"I did things I should not have done, but people make mistakes, especially at my age, when you feel you are so smart but in fact you are an asshole."

"I've always said I'm a good horse but I'm still an underdog."

"Sometimes I feel, been there, done it, now what? What more is there to prove?" – after ankle surgery

"It's a faster, more athletic game. She is old now. … Her time has passed." – on Steffi Graf in the July 1998 issue of "Tennis".

"She (Steffi Graf) is just a runner who never gives up." "The French crowd did not understand my tennis because I make it look so easy." – after her defeat in the 1999 French Open final.

"(This match was like) a warmup – the second week of a Grand Slam is like the real tournament for the stars." "I was watching her run from side to side trying to get everything back, and I was like: Why on earth do you tire yourself out like that? It's not like you have a chance to beat me." – after beating Anna Smashnova in 1998 French Open 4R

"I don't regret any relationship. It was good for my English anyway." – after breaking up with her boyfriend.

"I'm not a very good morning person. I'm No. 1 in the world, so I should have the right to say what time I want to play on the Centre Court." – on her displeasure over an early French Open starting time.

"I am number one in the world, so I have the right to be arrogant!"

"I heard this morning that a certain person always asking for my autograph over and over at every tournament. I'd like to give something to that certain person, it's important to me, to Richard [Williams]." "It's pretty big, huh? I'm sure it's going to fit you. It's extra-large. You don't have to ask me anymore."

"I beat a two-handed monster." – on Venus Williams, at 1997 Miami

Reporter: "When you see a player like Venus and she's still playing singles and obviously with what she's had to go through, did that motivate you that maybe I can still come back and play too?"
Hingis: "No, not really, because, when you lose as a player like her, it's not really encouraging because she plays well like first or second set and losing to players that she's not used to losing. So, no, that's not encouraging at all. Serena, yeah, it's a different story. She's got so much willpower, it's amazing. I really admire how she can still get out there and motivate herself all the time over and over all these years. But they were always – like they had many more breaks. I mean, I had my break for three years, but, yeah, I was out there a lot younger. And I don't have the same body as them too. So it's a little bit different when you can hit four aces in a game. I mean, I don't have that weapon."
– after losing to Errani/Vinci at 2013 Western & Southern Open.

"How would she know about boyfriends?" – on being told that Serena said Hingis won't be able to concentrate on tennis with her new boyfriend Magnus Norman.

"Being black only helps them. Many times they get sponsors because they are black. And they have had a lot of advantages because they can always say, 'It's racism.' They can always come back and say, 'Because we are this color, things happen.'" "I think they've been treated with kid gloves." "People have been afraid to criticise them because they don't want to be called racist." – on William sisters' complaints of discrimination against them in 2001.

"I'm better than them so far. I have won 5 Slams, they have none. I'm the No. 1, and not them." – on the Williams sisters.

"Playing (Serena) it always felt like playing a steamroller. No subtlety, no finesse, just raw, loud power. To respect this style of play was always a bit tough for me, but of course I had to, because the rules of tennis don't state that having a beautiful game is required to become No. 1."

"Playing one of the Williamses is like playing the three of them at the same time."

"I wish he had broken both hands." – after Marc Rosset lost the Swiss team the Hopman Cup when he punched an advertising board.

"I'm going to face two opponents in one time." – After playing the pregnant Tami Jones at the 1997 US Open

"I played like … I want to say a bad word!" – after narrowly defeating Gloria Pizzichini at the 1997 French Open.

"I don't know actually how I won this match. Maybe because I always beat her." – on beating Monica Seles for the fifth straight time.

"And serving it out with an ace, now that's fashion." – on Petra Kvitova.

"Maybe he needs the rooms for all of his women." – after being removed from her hotel suite in Berlin by President Clinton, who as a US president rented the whole top floor of the hotel. At the time it was at the height of the Lewinski scandal.

"It's all the time, 'Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods.' I am better than he is. I've been on top longer and I am younger. I'm just better." – on frequent comparisons to Tiger Woods.

"I need oxygen to survive, but not the French Open."

"It's hard to find a horse." – on the down side of indoor tournaments.

"I saw her when she was 12 and she was very good even then. You could hear her from like 10 courts further down." – on Maria Sharapova

"She's as mean as a snake. She reminds me of me." – on Maria Sharapova

"It's always been, 'I wonder what she's got, Sharapova?', because I don't see that she's got something that special… Or do you know? Can you tell? What's so exceptional about her?"

"I had to re-focus then, she was playing to my forehand which took me by surprise a bit. At one point I even believed she had a chance." – after beating Olga Poutchkova in 2006 Kolkata final.

"What is compassion?" – when asked if she has any compassion for Monica Seles after beating her 6-0, 6-0 in 2000 Ericsson Open SF.

"You know, I just beat Lisa Raymond 6-2 6-2, I don't know if that's an indication of good or bad form." – after beating Lisa Raymond in 2006 French Open 1R, during her comeback from retirement.

"It's like a shooting gallery." – after surviving an onslaught of Pierce's winners and errors.

"When I saw a marginal player like Myskina win a major, it inspired me to return." – on the true motivation behind her comeback in 2006.

"I've never had big problems about being long on the court. During the US Open I played three events (singles, doubles, mixed doubles) and some people asked me if I want to stay overnight on the court."

"If only we had the Heineken Beer in the cooler, maybe it helped me to make the final point…"

"I know how to boil an egg." – when asked about her cooking skills.

"It was civilization and the third world coming together. If you looked one way you would see cows, dogs, people just laying in the street and then if you looked in the opposite direction you would see a fake Donna Karan bag for $30." – on a post-Japan trip to Nepal, sponsored by the World Health Organization.

"Well, I'm surrounded by people, you know, and manners and things like that are important to me, of course. It's important that I feel proud of them [her escorts]. You don't have to be ashamed. It's a kind of a different society. I don't want to name anybody, but it was sometimes a problem. I mean, the people I meet are the top people - whether it's Hollywood people, or the princess of Qatar or the Emir. And when I was in Colombia [on a charity visit in aid of the street children] it was the First Lady. Or the top people at Unesco or Unicef. It's wherever I go. And they are looking at me [thinking] like, 'Who's this guy?', if they don't know how to speak." – when asked about the inability of her boyfriends to 'behave' properly in certain social situations.

"Whoever invented the signature autographs, I don't like that person. It's just a signature, what is that? You know, where are you gonna put it? Or is it gonna end up somewhere in the next garbage can?"

"Before I was the hunter. Now I'm the hunted." – after the 1998 Lipton Championships.

"Chris Evert was my mentor (provided by the WTA Tour) when I turned pro. The main thing I asked her was, 'How do you handle men?'"

"Not much." – when asked about the influence Chris Evert had on her game.

"YOU? No. 3?" – to Pam Shriver.

"How are you doing, Terminator?" – to Svetlana Kuznetsova.

"It was a very solid performance, I almost felt sorry for her." – after her 6-1, 6-3 win over Zuzana Ondraskova at the 2006 French Open.

"I lost my concentration in the second set because I got bored." – after beating Barbara Rittner 6-0, 6-4 at 1997 Hilton Head.



Here are some more funny Q&A sessions with Martina Hingis (thanks to my sister catcat33 who found these for me):

Q. I know Jelena Dokic came to your house a long time ago to practice once. Have you spoken to her since Wimbledon or talked at all?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I saw her. She was in Toronto.

Q. Are you friendly at all with her now?
MARTINA HINGIS: Why should I just turn around and say, Bye, you know, I don't want to see you again because I lost to her? No way. I mean, come on. I know who I am –

Q. I didn't know how good friends you were before. I wasn't sure.
MARTINA HINGIS: I wouldn't be friends with someone, I would invite them to come to my house. Not everybody can get there (laughter).

Q. Do you have any of your grade school report cards or anything to show us? They were saying that you didn't have any education.
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't have any education (laughter)? I mean, I chose something else, education, going every day into the school. I think I learned still enough on traveling. I don't think I'm that dumb (laughter). I'd like to see some other people talking in three languages. It's not always easy. It's a little misunderstanding sometimes what I say. I don't always mean like to hurt anybody.

Q. Do you ever miss actually having gone to school on a regular basis and having a formal education?
MARTINA HINGIS: Never missed that. I was always very happy about, you know, the thing I'm doing right now. I don't think the money's too bad either (laughter).

Q. Their father said that they shouldn't play doubles; they should each focus just on the singles. What's your philosophy about playing doubles, and why aren't you playing doubles here?
MARTINA HINGIS: I think I figured that thing out already, not playing the doubles. I didn't play at the California tournaments, and I'm not playing now also. So… I'm a step ahead, I guess. For once.

Q. Can you describe why, though?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's just too much waiting around. I mean, you got better things to do than waiting for your doubles match, I guess. If some players, you know, they fit – it fits their schedule, they want to play doubles. I used to be like that, too, I was like gives me some more attention to do something, and I'd rather play doubles in practice too much, but I think I change in that way a little bit. Practice is better. You get your times and then you just leave the stadium; it's not like sitting around and waiting for a doubles match.

Q. Martina, the past couple months obviously have been a time for real growth, real learning for you. If you could step back and say what the one thing you really learned during this period was, what would that be? Could you reflect on that?
MARTINA HINGIS: Which period?

Q. Since Paris.
MARTINA HINGIS: Since Paris?

Q. And London.
MARTINA HINGIS: Just basically knowing what I want more. Just focus on my tennis and that's all I want to do right now. And that became, you know, better player since then. I think more on the court, physically I got better, I can last longer in a match, in a three-setter, and I still feel good. And not just, I guess, things happen or go a different way, a wrong way, and then you can try to resolve everything. A lot of conversation, I'd say, also with my mom and Mario. That's what you learn from. It's like education. You know, you have to grow. One day. Mature.

Q. Informal education?
MARTINA HINGIS: Right. (Laughter). I still think it's true you have a better school in here. Maybe not later on, but what I've learned.

Q. What about the tan lines?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, the sun wasn't out there, so not yet. No. (Laughing.) I'm trying to practice in just like the two sleeves, just regular shirts or something which — but I'm not a very tan person in general so… (Laughing.) I'm just snow white from Switzerland.

Q. I could see on your hand something red. Did you hurt yourself?
MARTINA HINGIS: It was from signing autographs.

Bottom line: Read her interviews. For example, this one.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Extra:

"Ladies, here's a hint. If you're up against a girl with big boobs, bring her to the net and make her hit backhand volleys. That's the hardest shot for the well-endowed." – Billie Jean King

"She thinks she's the fucking Venus Williams." – Irina Spirlea on the collision with Venus at the changeover chair at 4-3 in the second set of 1997 US Open SF.


"It is frustrating when you see all the attention given to two or three players. Sometimes it makes you angry. I just want to shut up the mouths of everybody because they just think so much about her. I am not saying she is not good, but it is frustrating because sometimes you are seeded and you are not playing on the stadium court or stuff like that. And she is unseeded and she gets everything, but we can live with this." – Irina Spirlea, after beating Anna Kournikova in 1997 US Open 2R.

"I became famous because of my clothes, not my playing." – Lea Pericoli, former tennis player

"I didn't make any money from tennis, but if I'd been born 30 years later I would have become terribly rich like Anna Kournikova." – Lea Pericoli, former tennis player

"I coach Martina in Czech because I can swear faster than I can in German." – Melanie Molitor (Martina Hingis' mother and coach)

"When Serena was ten she was the only girl in the academy that used to play tag with a closed fist." – Rick Macci (tennis coach)

"I'd hate to be next door to her on her wedding night." – Peter Ustinov (actor), on Monica Seles' grunt

"I know when I step on the court that I am a more popular player than she is. And I feel much better about myself when I am on the court than when I am off the court. Whatever she is doing or whenever she is like that, she has to live with it. And for me the most important is that I know who I am and that I am more popular than she is, no matter what. That's very important to me." – Jana Novotna after losing to Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario at the 1996 Olympics

"Grass is for cows." – Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, winner of four tennis Grand Slams but never on grass at Wimbledon.

"She has no respect for anybody." – Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, on Serena Williams

"She has no respect for anybody." – Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, on Jana Novotna

"I usually beat her easy, so I'm not worried." – Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, on Mary Joe Fernandez before their impending French Open semifinal. She lost 6-2, 6-2.

Serena Williams, after losing 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the acrimonious 1998 French Open 4R to Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario: "Every time I see her play a match, she argues about almost every call."
Sanchez-Vicario on the same match: "She tried to hit me with her forehand and I was lucky that I went the other side, she just has no respect for anyone but herself. She cannot come with that. I'm glad I beat her. I taught her a lesson."

"I'd like to thank myself for having such a good week here." – Maggie Maleeva, after losing to Lindsay Davenport in Tokyo final.

"We call Martina Hingis 'Little Martin', because she's like a little Martin who walks around gawking. She's a dork. She's a nerd. She tries to be cool." – Alexandra Stevenson

"Look at Lindsay, she's all flabby." – Alexandra Stevenson on Lindsay Davenport

"Really, it's the first time, but not only with me, with everybody. So I don't understand. Maybe she doesn't feel good in this world, I don't know... I mean, it's more her who has a problem than us." – Anne-Gaelle Sidot about Stevenson accusing racism on the tour during Wimbledon 2000.

"I lost to a player who has never been a player and, I guess, probably never will be." – Jelena Dokic after losing to Rita Kuti-Kis at the 2000 Australian Open.

"I don't think you need to worry about that, Vera." – Jelena Dokic, responding to Vera Zvonareva fretting over the thought that she might be overwhelmed by reporters clamouring to speak to her.

"She sort of packed it in early in the second set when she didn't get up right away. I was surprised. I'm not sure what the reason, besides just kind of getting beat and not wanting to accept the challenge on this particular day." – Chanda Rubin, after beating Jelena Dokic 6-0, 6-2 in 2002 JP Morgan SF.

"She hasn't done much at all, so it's a disappointing loss. She just hits the ball. There is no rhyme or reason. There definitely wasn't any flow to my returns." – Chanda Rubin, after losing to Jelena Dokic at 2003 Zurich.

"What a difference a first serve makes, you don't have to see that ball come back and gets shoved down your throat." – Chanda Rubin, when commentating on the 2013 US Open SF match between Serena Williams and Li Na.

"Maybe she didn't play her best today but who cares, I don't." – Barbara Schett after beating Venus Williams at the 2001 French Open.

"My potential speaks for itself." – Lilia Osterloh

"What I lack in size, I make up for in attitude." – Amanda Coetzer

"She's the luckiest player in tennis. Things like that happen to her all the time." – Zina Garrison on Lori McNeil after she lost the match on a netcord.

"It was just a cheap ploy to win applause. It was all I could do to not smash the flowers in her face." – Zina Garrison, on Monica Seles who offered flowers to her at the start at the match.

"It's the way she walks in the locker room. She needs to show respect." – Gigi Fernandez on Venus Williams.

Gigi Fernandez on Monica Seles: "I don't think Seles is very popular in the locker room."
Seles responded: "I never was a friend of Gigi, because she is a very outspoken person. Basically, out of the top 16 players, I would say I am good friends with 15."

"I am still the best tennis player in the world. Steffi will never be number one again." – Monica Seles, after losing the 1992 Wimbledon final to Steffi Graf

"I don't talk to anyone ranked below me." – Monica Seles when she was ranked #1.

"I am going to kick her ass." – Monica Seles, when an overhyped Monique Viele came out on court wearing a mini skirt, heels and big hoop earrings to sing the national anthem before a match with Seles at the 2000 WTT.

"Perhaps they hit the ball too hard for the good of the game. Unless other players are motivated to fight, the game could start to be boring." "It wouldn't be good for women's tennis. Before the Williams girls arrived with their power, it was probably a more enjoyable game to watch. You could see some artistry, not just athleticism. You saw players doing different things, coming to the net, varying the pace of the game. Today you don't see too much strategy. It's mostly hard hitting -- and it seems few players other than Jennifer Capriati can give the Williams sisters a match. They hit the ball hard, then harder still. You feel sorry for the girl on the other side of the net." – Gabriela Sabatini, on the "power" game and Williams sisters

"I prefer to be appreciated for my beauty and other qualities rather than only being seen as a tennis champion." – Gabriela Sabatini

"When I was younger and thought that I had to talk after winning a tournament, I often lost in the semifinals so I did not have to." "I think my fame and my public profile had something to do with the fact that I did not become No. 1. To be so famous would also have been a problem if I had been No. 1." – Gabriela Sabatini, on why she did not become No. 1.

"No. She'd probably just stare at me." – Gabriela Sabatini, when asked if she ever considered asking Steffi out to dinner since they were partners in doubles.

"I can't believe [Gabriela Sabatini] doesn't speak better English after living in America for so long." – Steffi Graf

"How would she know how a number one plays? She's never been number one." – Steffi Graf, responding to Gabriela Sabatini's criticism that she had lost the confidence of being number 1.

"I think it will be hard for [Martina Navratilova] to get used to being number two. I think she should retire." – Steffi Graf

"No wonder, this clay court pigeon was so slathered with make-up that she probably couldn't see me well at all." – Steffi Graf after beating Jennifer Santrock at the 1990 French Open.

"There are hundreds like her back home in the States." – Tracy Austin, after defeating 13-year-old Steffi Graf in the latter's first professional match at Filderstadt in 1982.

"She was this kid who hit the ball so hard I couldn't believe it. It was 4-all in the first set and she was painting the lines. I knew she was going to be a very, very good player. She had a huge, huge forehand and she moved like a deer out there." – Tracy Austin, following Steffi Graf's retirement in 1999.

Anna Kournikova after losing to Lindsay Davenport at 1998 Amelia Island: "She doesn't hit that hard, I mean there are players that hit harder like Lucic and her serve is not that big either."
Davenport responded: "Anna can say whatever she wants. The point is that I'm in the semifinals and she's in the hotel room packing."

"A circus act" – Lindsay Davenport, referring to Anna Kournikova

"It's bad enough to default in the first round, but it's the worst thing to default to Kournikova." – Lindsay Davenport

"Sometimes we've wondered if Martina actually knew what she was saying. Maybe it was her age or inexperience or something got lost in the translation. But I don't know. She comes out with something astounding and then just stares at you like, 'What did I say?' But then she'll have that glint in her eye." – Lindsay Davenport on Martina Hingis

"If somebody doesn't want to be friendly, it's not our fault." – Lindsay Davenport on Venus Williams

"Who knows what's going on with that family. Serena's more friendly. At least she can bring herself to say hi. Venus can't – or won't – even speak. Venus likes to give the impression that she's so great, that she's 'Da Bomb', or whatever. She can say it all she wants but that just means she doesn't have it. She gets psyched out in big matches. She's not happy with her sister winning and the pressure is really falling on her." – Lindsay Davenport on the Williams sisters in early 2000.

"I saw that match against Ruano-Pascual and it was a little fishy to me. She was moving well and then she just stopped. I don't think Serena needed to default. She wasn't hurt at all in her singles match. She was getting her ass kicked. I thought she was a complete wimp about it. I played her in mixed the next day and she was diving for balls, so yeah…you do the math. If you can do that, you can finish getting beaten when you're down a set and 4-1." – Lindsay Davenport, on Serena's retirement against Virginia Ruano-Pascual at 1998 Wimbledon.

Lindsay Davenport, who was ranked #1 at the time, was told that she was not allowed to bring her rackets onboard. She objected and pointed to Martina Hingis, who was just allowed on. The boarding assistant replied: "Well, that's Martina Hingis - she needs her rackets for her game."

Anna Kournikova: "Hantuchova needs to learn more about doubles."
Hantuchova responded: "That's just the way she thinks. I don't care about it or her. What I care about is the way I perform on court. Being compared to Kournikova is something people like to talk about, but right now I am more interested in concentrating on my tennis…But I am glad that people can write a lot about my tennis, too, more than hers."

Daniela Hantuchova on Ana Ivanovic's squeaking shoes, after losing to her at the 2008 Australian Open: "I was really surprised with that, I think it's unfair. It's a distraction to the server. We played before and she never did it." "(I complained) in the first or second service game, but she didn't do anything about it. I don't think that was very nice."
Ivanovic responded: "It's the way these courts play, there was no intention of anything." "Once I saw she was complaining, there was nothing I could do. Maybe she was just trying to pick on something to get upset, I don't know." "I had two balls that I hardly got to, that gives you so much confidence. I knew she was probably a little bit mentally down with herself, didn't use her opportunities."
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"I don't sign for Chinese." – Dinara Safina, after beating Zheng Jie 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 in an intense match, when asked to sign autographs for Chinese children at the 2005 Australian Open.

"Fuck this tournament and fuck me. Fuck this fucking serve." – Dinara Safina, at the 2009 French Open.

"It's very pleasant to beat Maria...Why? Well, I don't like her outfit. Can I put it this way? It's a little too much of everything, of the same thing." – Alla Kudryavtseva on what motivated her to beat Sharapova at Wimbledon.

"I'm going to kick her ass off." – Sesil Karatantcheva, before her first meeting with Maria Sharapova. Sharapova won 6-0, 6-1.

"Today, something didn't feel right. I guess it's the puberty's fault." – Sesil Karatantcheva, after the 6-0, 6-1 loss to Maria Sharapova.

"I was like, 'Whatever. I'm going to get you.'" "If she's too scared to come on the court, (that's) her problem." – Sesil Karatancheva at 2004 Indian Wells, accusing Sharapova of ducking a recent practice match against her at Bollettieri's tennis academy in Florida.

"I'll be back. And my return will be thunderous." – Sesil Karatantcheva, after failing to overturn a two-year drugs ban.

"work,work and more work = no results= fuck it! i wont do shit and see what happens!" – Sesil Karatantcheva during her comeback, on her Facebook wall.

"People have been saying this week that I remind them a lot of Anna Kournikova and at first I thought 'My God, am I that bad of a tennis player?' But then I realized they meant I was pretty so I take it as a compliment now." – Sesil Karatantcheva

"I've played five matches and no one has complained! Would you tell Sharapova to be quiet? No!" – Michelle Larcher de Brito, when Aravane Rezai complained to the umpire on her grunting in 2009 French Open 3R. Rezai responded "I asked Sharapova to be quiet."

Michelle Larcher de Brito, after losing to Aravane Rezai: "During our match at RG, I was upset at what Rezai did: complain to the umpire about my grunting. She did it not because I was hindering her, but because she wanted me to lose focus. That was the real reason. I was playing well, but when I had to talk to the umpire I lost focus and my game was completely derailed. That was her tactic. She had done it before in Miami. This was the second time I played against her. I hate her, actually I do. I can't even look at her." "The next time I play against her I'll do my utmost to beat her! Losing to her twice is enough!"

"1 thing!don't ever judge me when I'm on court!out there it's really not ME,I don't know that serious angry person!not responsible for her :)" – Iveta Benesova

"I felt in control of the match from the beginning, despite desperate outbursts from my opponent in the second set." – Chanelle Scheepers after beating Anastasia Rodionova

"I have nothing to say, absolutely nothing at all. Nothing. Nothing." – Amelie Mauresmo, when asked to comment on Martina Hingis' comeback in early 2005.

"It's not so easy to return her serve. You have to adjust to that. In the same time, sometimes she serves 100, sometimes it's slow, sometimes it's spin, sometimes it's flat." – Amelie Mauresmo on Elena Dementieva's serve.

"I think people are going to get bored of it….I'm not counting how many people since yesterday told me: 'We don't want an all-Williams final.'" – Amelie Mauresmo on the eve of another All-Williams final at Wimbledon 2002 after being beaten 2-6, 1-6 by Serena Williams.

"You beat me last time in Moscow, and now it's my turn here in Philly." – Amelie Mauresmo to Anastasia Myskina on the microphone after her win over the Russian in the Philadelphia final.

Reporter: "What's wrong in Paris as compared to other tournaments for you?"
Mauresmo: "Clay (laughter). That's the first point." "There is also the Eiffel Tower."

"Clear my head, have a brain graft. With an empty brain, perhaps it would be better." – Amelie Mauresmo, after losing to Paola Suarez in the 2002 French Open 4R, when asked how she could improve.

"Can somebody turn off that fucking baby?" – Jennifer Capriati, when a baby in the crowd started crying.

"Shut the hell up, He's sitting right there in the fucking chair he's not doing his job!" "Then call the fucking referee!" – Jennifer Capriati, appealing to the chair umpire to remove a linesman, in the 2002 Australian Open final.

"I am just going to play my game and I am not going to think, oh, she is like this goddess or something, you know, that everyone kind of makes her seem that way." – Jennifer Capriati on Venus Williams

"It's a joke!" – Jennifer Capriati, shouting into the crowd in the 2004 US Open SF, referring to Elena Dementieva's serve.

"It wasn't so much the noise as it was the decimals." Jennifer Capriati on Monica Seles' grunting, after losing to her in 2001 San Diego QF.

"What? I won, didn't I?" – Jennifer Capriati, after losing to Justine Henin at the US Open, when she entered the press conference room.

Jennifer Capriati tweeted after Sloane Stephens beat Serena Williams at the 2013 Australian Open: "Challenge.. Maybe tennis will become interesting again. I've seen enough Serena to last a life time..lol"
Serena Williams, when asked if she had contact with Jennifer Capriati: "No. Last I heard she was happy I lost in Australia."

"I was disappointed with her tennis, with what she showed to me. I'm sorry. I didn't expect anything like that – a top-10 player playing moon balls, disgusting." – Nadia Petrova, after making 69 unforced errors and lost to Amanda Coetzer in the 2001 Amelia Island SF.

"Martina still plays soft tennis." – Nadia Petrova, after beating Martina Hingis 6-2, 6-2 at 2003 Moscow.

"(Pascual's victory might merit an asterisk because) you can't call it a tennis match." – Nadia Petrova, after losing her opening match at 2006 Carlsbad.

"Everybody has a chance to win the YEC this year. Maybe even Hantuchova." – Anna Chakvetadze, at the 2007 YEC.

"Sharapova of course – but I don't know if you would call her Russian though." – Svetlana Kuznetsova, when asked who the most popular of the Top 10 Russians is.

"Everyone is fighting hard against me after the US Open. I knew it would depend only on me to win or lose this match." – Svetlana Kuznetsova after losing to Natalie Dechy.

"I don't think she won the match, it was me who lost it…At the end she was celebrating as if she just won a Grand Slam. It just shows how desperate she was for a win." – Svetlana Kuznetsova after losing to Elena Dementieva in Moscow.

"I know her the way she is. She has always been like this. And once I lost to her because she starts crying. I was 4-1 up in the third set. I was playing unbelievable. And suddenly Vera started crying. And she was talking to herself. So I stopped. So I lost in a tiebreaker." – Svetlana Kuznetsova, after losing to Vera Zvonareva.

"But also Wimbledon is so different, you know. It's completely like black and blue maybe, or white and black, you know, or red and black, whatever, you know. It's just different. It's like Sprite and Coke, you know. Doesn't matter that I love Sprite more than Coke, but it just completely different." – Svetlana Kuznetsova on Wimbledon and other surfaces

"She's a mediocre player who never will be in the Top 20. We have people offering players like this to us every month." – The Spanish Tennis Federation on Svetlana Kuznetsova, who trained in Spain as a junior. This was the Spanish Federation commenting on the Casal-Sanchez Tennis Academy wishing to convert the junior Kuznetsova to Spanish citizenship.

"She would not allow me to play my game." – Vera Zvonareva, after losing to Serena Williams at Wimbledon.

"It's never easy to play a girl who throws you night-tables!" – Flavia Pennetta, on Yanina Wickmayer. (source needed)

"Yo soy una puta de mierda (I'm a fucking bitch)" – Flavia Pennetta to herself. (source needed)

"What happened to me? Venus Williams is what happened to me! The No. 5 player in the world is what happened to me!" – Flavia Pennetta, after losing to Venus Williams at 2009 Acapulco.

"Sì ho capito, ma cazzo, vuoi un tè od un caffè?! (What the fuck? Do you want a tea or a coffee maybe?)" – Roberta Vinci to Venus Williams who put her hand up at match point in 2015 Wuhan Open SF.


"The clothing? It's very fashion-y. I don't think you'd understand it. It's high waisted. I tuck in the top. Just a different look." – Eugenie Bouchard when asked about her outfit.

"Just telling myself to not give a shit about what people think or say around me. My career is short, life is short, so I don’t want to waste time worried about what all of you guys think." – Eugenie Bouchard, after she lost in the first round of Citi Open to Caroline Giorgi

Eugenie Bouchard, on Maria Sharapova who was given a wild card to Stuttgart after drugs ban: "I don't think that's right. You know, she's a cheater. And so to me, I don't think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play that sport again. So unfair to the other players who do it the right way."

Maria Sharapova, in response: "I don’t have anything to say - I am way above that."

"She said 'Well played'. I think she's been playing really well in her so-called comeback – if you want to call it that." "There was a lot of players coming to me privately and wishing me good luck. I won for all of them." "Most people have my opinion but are scared of saying it. I still have the same opinion about Sharapova." – Eugenie Bouchard, after beating Sharapova 7-5 2-6 6-4 in Madrid Open 2R.

"I screw it up. I can't comment my matches, I don't know what happened. I'm sure it would go other way if I had won the first set after all those saved set points. On the other hand, I did nothing today to win. And she took the risk, presented 'masculine tennis', hit a lot of winners. Afterwards, the more I wanted, the worse it got. However I shouldn't have lost to her." – Agnieszka Radwanska, after losing to Yaroslava Shvedova in 2010 French Open 2R.

"What could I do, just be there and dance? I didn’t feel like it at that point. I would rather play badly and win the match than lose after that one." – Agnieszka Radwanska, on why she hadn’t congratulated Sabine Lisicki more warmly.

"Some people like to be on the radar all the time, I'm not one who would do something like that." – Agnieszka Radwanska, on Eugenie Bouchard

"Today was perfect." – Agnieszka Radwanska, in the dismissive press conference during the Group I Euro-Africa zone tie against Israel.


"I think it's gonna be Serena...but I don't think [Muguruza] can beat Serena in the final." – Agnieszka Radwanska, after losing 2015 Wimbledon SF to Garbine Muguruza, when asked to predict the outcome of the match between Serena and Sharapova.

"Well, to be honest, I don't think this is worth a comment. But I think after this match ... just lost a lot of respect. That's it." "I was angry because I don't think this is the great image for the women's tennis, what was going on there, so, yeah, unfortunately." – Agnieszka Radwanska, on Victoria Azarenka's behaviour in 2012 Doha SF

"just laughing out loud….thats it what i can say….its getting more and more funny…have a good week and enjoy girls" – Victoria Azarenka, apparently referring to Radwanska's criticism.

"I hope I was a good example of women's tennis." – Victoria Azarenka, after beating Radwanska in 2012 Indian Wells.

"Serena's record is like 25-1 against her (Sharapova) so... Serena." – Garbine Muguruza, when asked to predict the outcome of the semifinal match between Serena and Sharapova at 2015 Wimbledon.

"The boys are different, but the girls... we all hate each other. Literally. And those who say otherwise are lying." – Garbine Muguruza

"I don't have any friends on tour because I beat them and they resented me ever since." – Monica Puig

"I wouldn't pay a ticket to watch women's tennis, or only for 2-3 players." – Paula Ormaechea

"I think she made a lot of mistakes in the first set, which helped quite a lot. Hopefully she'll do that again." – Laura Robson, on Li Na.

"Some of the tennis girls, they're sluts. They go with every guy and make such a bad name for themselves - and you don't want to be known for stuff like that." – Laura Robson, in the July issue of Vogue magazine in 2010.

"Actually I am a tri-citizen. I've got a Hungarian passport as well. Just add that into the mix, guys. I mean, I'm pretty much the female version of Jason Bourne." – Johanna Konta

"I did not hear what Ilie said, I understand you take Ilie out, perfect. Then we play another game, I win it, and then suddenly you started crying and let's go off the court. I've played all over the world, they called me from gypsy to bitch to asshole to idiot. They were doing like (mimes slitting throat) to me. I never cried and left the court, I stay there and I play. Afterwards I go to the umpire and I ask him what do I do? I stay on the court, I go out? He said, 'I don't know'. I went to the supervisor, I said, 'What do I do, how long is the break?' He said, 'I don't know'. We did not exist any more, it was only the (British) team. And then when she (Konta) comes back on court she says, 'I'm sorry', so she knew she exaggerated. You don't do this, you stay and play. And the public was okay. They didn't do anything. And now they say they feel threatened. Next time I'm in trouble I will cry, maybe I can go off the court. As Romanians we get double insulted because of our nation, but it's okay, we are tough. Tougher than (British) people apparently." – Sorana Cirstea, accusing Johanna Konta of gamesmanship amid Fed Cup 2017 World Group II play-off controversy.


"I just don't give a shit about this tournament." – Aljona Ostapenko, during 2016 Eastbourne R1

"She is just nothing. She is not doing anything. She hits the ball without any pace. She is just playing for the hell of it. She plays like an amateur. I play much better than she does. If I don't make errors, she will not have any options. She is not playing at all. She is playing so sneaky. It's so disgusting to play against her. Next time, I'm not even gonna step on the court to play against her. It's a shame to play against her." – Aljona Ostapenko to her coach, during a match against Agnieszka Radwanska

During Wimbledon 2021 third round match between Ajla Tomljanovic and Jelena Ostapenko, at 4-0 down in the third Ostapenko, decided to ask for the intervention of the physiotherapist for an abdominal problem and left the court for more than ten minutes.
Tomljanovic to umpire Edwards: "You know she is lying right? We all know. Can you call the supervisor as well."
Ostapenko: "She cannot tell her what to do."
Tomljanovic: "Why aren't you taking any consideration that she looked fine for an hour and 30 and now there's an acute injury."
Tomljanovic won the match and the pair shared a frosty handshake at the net.
Ostapenko: "If you think I'm faking you can talk to the physio."
Tomljanovic: "I hope you feel better."
Ostapenko: "Your behaviour is terrible, terrible. You have zero respect, yes? "
Tomljanovic: "Honestly, you're the one to talk."
Ostapenko: "...the worst on the Tour."


In the post-match press conferences:
Tomljanovic: "She can say she was injured. I don't think she was. There was nothing wrong with her the whole match, but then why on 4-0 she calls it when I'm about to serve. Usually you just say can I have the physio at the next changeover. Then to top it all off, for her to call me disrespectful at the end of the match is just, it's laughable. I think it's disgraceful behavior from someone that is a slam champion."
Ostapenko responded: "She cannot say anything unless she knows anything, and she's not me so she cannot feel the pain," the world number 34 said. "I'm the one who feels the pain. It's very disrespectful from her side, because she knows zero about what I had."

"Some people think that we are friends with Ostapenko. That's not true. Actually there is a lot of tension between us. It wasn't just one big incident, something here, something there. It started many years ago." – Daria Kasatkina

"If we are talking about which tennis players are annoying, then I probably would like to beat Kristina Mladenovic. She thinks she's so cool. I would like to let her know that she is not that cool. We recently trained with her, and she somehow behaved normally, and this antipathy towards her disappeared because she played so badly." – Katarina Zavatska, when asked about whom she wanted to beat the most.

"No, not really. What I’m saying is not arrogant, but today I think it was Leander Paes who pretty much won the match on his own. She was there at the end, when there were volleys to finish; she finished them because he set them up so well." "Whether it’s the serve, her diagonal, her speed... she doesn’t overwhelm me with the speed of her shots. She has good hands, but in doubles, for me, it’s not that impressive with the speed. But she remains a good player just the same." – Kristina Mladenovic, after losing to Martina Hingis and Leander Paes in the 2015 Australian Open mixed-doubles final, when asked if she was impressed by Hingis.

"All the other players are saying she’s a cheater." "She wasn’t really liked. I respected her for her career but she wasn’t really nice nor polite, let’s be honest. At least the good news to come out of all of this is that the anti-doping programme is working and that even if you’re among the best players you’re going to get caught and it’s going to get out." – Kristina Mladenovic on Sharapova, who tested positive for meldonium.

"I didn’t speak with her before; there’s no reason to speak now." – Simona Halep, when asked if she had spoken to Sharapova after the doping incident.

"I was surprised that most of the reactions were so diplomatic, because everyone's opinion is actually totally different. I didn't make any statement, as I didn't want to be the only person to openly say what they think about this case. I will only say that I don't feel sorry at all for Sharapova and I don't miss her on the tour. She's a totally unlikable person. Arrogant, conceited and cold. When I sit beside her in the locker room, she won't even say 'Hello'." – Dominika Cibulkova, on Sharapova being unpopular in the players' locker room.

"She played like a man and it's really hard to play against a man." – Dominika Cibulkova, on Sam Stosur's serve and topspin.

"So disrespectful" – Sloane Stephens, after Serena Williams screamed "come on" during their match at the 2013 Australian Open.

Sloane Stephens, in an interview in the May 13 issue of ESPN The Magazine, revealed that her relationship with Serena Williams has completely deteriorated since Stephens beat Williams at the Australian Open:
"She's not said one word to me, not spoken to me, not said hi, not looked my way, not been in the same room with me since I played her in Australia. And that should tell everyone something, how she went from saying all these nice things about me to unfollowing me on Twitter."
"Like, seriously! People should know. They think she's so friendly and she's so this and she's so that — no, that's not reality! You don't unfollow someone on Twitter, delete them off of BlackBerry Messenger. I mean, what for? Why?"
Her response to Serena's "I made you." tweet: "I was like, 'You really don't think I know that that's about me?'"
She then debunked the myth that she and Williams have shared a close bond, saying that she was never her favorite player: "I've always said Kim Clijsters is my favorite player, so it's kind of weird."
Finally, she described an incident when she was 12 and first saw Williams play, in Delray Beach, Fla., at a Fed Cup tie, that left her with a bad impression of Serena and her sister Venus. "I waited all day [for an autograph]. They walked by three times and never signed our posters." "I hung it up [in my room] for a while. I was, like, devastated because they didn't sign it, whatever, and then after that I was over it. I found a new player to like because I didn't like them anymore."
"For the first 16 years of my life, she said one word to me and was never involved in my tennis whatsoever. I really don't think it's that big of a deal that she's not involved now. If you mentor someone, that means you speak to them, that means you help them, that means you know about their life, that means you care about them. Are any of those things true at this moment? No, so therefore..."
"They want another Serena."


"I love seeing myself, so I guess it works out!" – Sloane Stephens, on having posters of herself around the 2013 US Open.

"People are always telling me they hate her (Azarenka) – I don't know why." – Sloane Stephens

"I'm friends with Jamie [Hampton], Christina [McHale], and Melanie [Oudin] – well, we don't see Melanie as much anymore!" – Sloane Stephens

"It's not like I'm invisible." – Caroline Wozniacki, on Sabine Lisicki who accidentally bumped into her at the changeover during 4R at 2009 Wimbledon.


"I couldn't really dominate the way I wanted to." – Caroline Wozniacki on losing to Francesca Schiavone at the 2010 French Open.

Caroline Wozniacki after beating Yulia Putintseva 6-0, 7-5 in 2017 Sydney International R2: "She's one of those players who, you know, tennis-wise is not as good as most of the top 100, but she gets under your skin and she just tries to fight out there and then that's how she wins matches." "She gets under your skin, you get annoyed. and you start missing a little bit and she will hit a few good shots, and all of a sudden she's back in it. That's what she wins on."
Putintseva responded: "She said absolute nonsense. I think she already knows she made a mistake. The next time we'll talk on the court, and we shall understand, what it was."

After beating Kim Clijsters 6-2, 7-5 at Indian Wells:
Interviewer: "Kim told us because she has an ear infection, she couldn't hear the ball bounce. Wouldn't that be an enormous handicap to a tennis player, not being able to hear the ball bounce?"
Nathalie Dechy: "Yes, and not being able to see the ball also, I guess (laughs)."

"Ana Ivanovic has never played at an incredible level, her #1 ranking was due to chance and she never intimidated the other players in the locker rooms." – Tatiana Golovin

Mauresmo: "Jankovic was feeling bad last year, but I don't know if she was just acting…"
Golovin: "Well she DID have a nose job."
– when commentating on the 2010 French Open.

"I've never seen a #3 play like that. She can't hit any winner. She just hits the ball with a lot of spin. No one really knows her, she is unknown to the general public." – Tatiana Golovin, on Caroline Wozniacki.

"Female French team needs a leader. When I became a professional player, Amélie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce were the best French tenniswomen, and it really helped me a lot. I watched them, I looked them up. Now, Bartoli is the #1 but you don't see her, she doesn't have the team spirit. So it's hard for youngsters such as Alizé Cornet to follow someone, to say 'I want to be like her'. It is the same for Aravane Rezaï, she is weird/special. They don't have a positive rivalry, so they will struggle to make improvements." – Tatiana Golovin on Marion Bartoli and Aravane Rezai.

"The way Tatiana talks about me in the newspapers, it's unbearable! She must stop it, it can't go this way anymore. I haven't talked to her about that yet, and I don't even know if she's able to understand what I say. She says she's more French than me, but I'm not sure she understands 25% of my level in language and grammar. How could I explain something to her? Someone must talk to her, and tells her you can't treat people this way. But she has no education."
"It's like Dechy, who said 'Marion told she was tired, I don't understand I played the same tournaments than her' but someone must explain her that while she played 39 matches, I played 88 and reached a Grand Slam final. It's a little bit more tiring, right?"
– Marion Bartoli on Tatiana Golovin and Nathalie Dechy.

Aravane Rezai on Marion Bartoli, after reaching the 2010 French Open 3R: "Marion is a difficult girl. She already attacked me two years ago when I reached the final in Istanbul. If she has a problem with me, I don't know, because I did nothing. That's a bit of a shame, but that's her education. She has attacked me many times in the press. I don't have the same education as the one she has. I think I have respect for players. I get on with many people. But with Marion, it's very difficult. She has difficulties getting included with the other girls."
Bartoli responded: "I don't give a damn. I don't need this to be motivated, frankly. I'm not jealous about anybody else's results. I don't envy anybody. I do my job every day."

"Contrarily to the other girls, I'm not jealous or bitter at the other players' seasons, and as far as Roland Garros, well, I'm already counting down the days to Wimbledon, thanks, bye bye." – Marion Bartoli, on not being the French favourite for the 2010 French Open.

"Marion is a great player, but on the court she's ready to do everything to win: call the trainer, cry, limp, complain, etc. I'll try not to give attention if she takes too much time with her antics between points. There'll be no respect and no mercy from both sides, but it doesn't mean I don't like her. It's just that I don't want to let her makes me lose focus on court." – Virginie Razzano on Marion Bartoli

Virginie Razzano on Marion Bartoli before playing her at Eastbourne: "I know everything about her. She is a special girl. I need to be careful about everything because she can do everything."
Razzano won by retirement of Bartoli with Bartoli refusing to shake Razzano's hand. Bartoli said: "What she said about me in the French newspaper was not really brilliant, but I guess that's the way she is. I could never say that about another player."
Razzano responded: "She can stop any time in any match. If you stop to look at her because she has pain everywhere, she tries to make your concentration go down and you can't play because you are thinking what has happened. It's a disappointment for her but not for me because I am in the final. It's a good win for me because I have more energy for tomorrow."

Reporter: "You said her attitude was a bit strange. What do you mean by this?"
Bartoli: "Well, it's her clan. When I made unforced errors, her team would shout. It's not sporting. They're Italians. This is what it's like."
Reporter: "Aren't you part Italian? Your grandfather is Italian, right?"
Bartoli: "I'm from Corsica. I am not Italian."
– after losing to Tathiana Garbin at the 2009 French Open

"Her way of working with her father, their structure, the way they train and the fact they want to be inseparable from each other, all of this makes her integration into the team impossible. They know as well as I do that it's totally incompatible." – Nicolas Escude on not picking Bartoli for Fed Cup.

Alizé Cornet, on her least favourite opponent: "Anna Chakvetadze without a doubt. She put me down before our semi-final in Rome. She said that I was a good junior even though I was No. 30 in the world at the time. I was furious. And she doesn’t even say hello. She’s not a nice person."

Sara Errani, to Alizé Cornet who said "vamos" after Errani's error: "Why you say vamos? Say allez. Why you say vamos? You never say vamos and today you say vamos."
Cornet after the match: "I will say plenty of vamos vamos vamos tomorrow to annoy her."

"People are right. Everybody is fed up with them. They are arrogant. People want to see other players. The Williams sisters are bad for tennis." – Nathalie Tauziat, after the 2002 French Open final between Venus and Serena Williams.

"The Williams sisters acted like nobody else existed, like they held some kind of titles." – Mary Pierce

"Really? I wasn't aware of that." – Mary Pierce, when being told that some journalists believed that when Venus decides to play and is committed, she is nearly unbeatable and she showed that from Wimbledon through the US Open in 2001.

"It was a very slow serve, and a lot of double faults. Sometimes it was amazing. I just tried to stay focused on myself." – Justine Henin, holding back laughter, on Kournikova's serve

"I had a little bit of trouble on the return. It's never been easy for me to return against a player who's serving pretty slowly." – Justine Henin on Martina Hingis' serve in 2006.


In the 2006 US Open SF, Henin doubled over in apparent back pain down a set and one point away from a 2-5 deficit in the second set. Jankovic's stellar game collapsed after an argument with the chair umpire, and a suddenly freewheeling Henin cruised to the win. Jankovic fumed afterwards: "I had the match. I thought that in the first set I was the better player – way better. I was controlling all the points, was on the top of my game. She didn't know what to do. That's how I felt. I was dominating. But then in the second set, it was 4-2 for me. I kind of had a little bit – my concentration went down because of the umpire. He didn't know if the ball was in or not. Then I make the double-fault on the game point. I think that was a huge point for me. I could have been up 5-2 and would have been a different story. I think from my point of view, I think you should play fair. And if you have pain, you have pain. But then when you – if you have really pain, then you gonna have pain when you're winning, as well. But then how come when she's winning, she serves like 120-mile serve, and then when she's losing, she barely pushes it back? Just to kind of say, 'Oh, that's why I'm losing' or something. For me, that's not quite fair play. I'm a quite fair player. I give the credit to all the players, it's okay, I lost this match, but...(smiling). I don't know."

Henin responded: "I'm not a tall girl, I'm not strong, and I win a lot of matches and a lot of titles and not a lot of people like it, I think. I'm fighting a lot on court, running a lot; I'm playing the kind of game that not a lot of people like. But that's OK. I'm fine with that. It makes me laugh."

Rennae Stubbs on the match: "It's a legacy that she's leaving – or hurting – by possibly always having an out. By an out, I mean an injury or an excuse: 'Why I didn't win the match today.' She's such a great competitor and wants to win all the time, but if she's not? It seems she has that little mechanism in her head to say, 'Yeah, but, I'm sick today ... or something.'" "But every single player has something out there that's bothering them, and they don't make it as obvious. I did notice her grimacing at 4-2 in that match – and then all of a sudden she's, Allez!, Allez! Allez! in the third set and banging down aces and running around like a jackrabbit."

Henin insisted after the Jankovic match that her back hurt the entire time, and that she would never fake an injury. But she had no regrets about that match or the walkabout that ruptured her relationship with Mauresmo, and she isn't interested in what the world thinks. "No, I would do exactly the same. [In Australia] maybe I wouldn't have walked on the court. But I would have stopped for sure. I know how I can fight on the tennis court; I'm a real competitor. The most difficult for me there was to say, 'I stop.' It's an awful feeling. It would've been much easier to say, 'I keep playing a few more games.' But that's not me. I need to be honest with myself."


"Honestly, never. There was that time playing Serena in 2003 when I raised my hand to say I wasn't ready for the serve. But otherwise, honesty is very important to me. I'm not capable of openly cheating. When young players cheat at my academy, I put a stop to it immediately." – Justine Henin, on being asked if she had ever cheated on court.

"[The ball was] more out than on the line…it touched the line. I admit it now." – Justine Henin, on the 2004 Australian Open final she won against Kim Clijsters, when a TV replay showed Clisters' swing volley on break point at 3-4 in the decider was actually in though it was called out.

Justine Henin after beating Kim Clijsters in the 2003 San Diego final: "I think all these players don't like it I'm not so strong and tall and am not the same looking players as them. They don't like to see me running all over the court and having power, too. Mentally, it's hard for them to compete against me."
Kim Clijsters on the same match: "Sometimes she was like limping after points she lost and the next point she was running all the balls down…Those were like little signs where I thought maybe she was faking it a little bit."

"It's not the first time she has done this. I think she has probably had to do it in every one of our matches. It's a sign that she is not at her best and so she has to resort to other means to get out of scrapes. Looking at the way she was moving around the court afterwards she didn't look like she was in real pain." – Kim Clijsters on Justine Henin's medical time-out during the Acura Classic final. Clijsters lost 3-6 6-2 6-3.

"No fucking way!" – Kim Clijsters, when the umpire overruled a call at the 2003 Australian Open.

"It's raining on both sides of the court." – Kim Clijsters, when asked if rain influenced the outcome of 2002 French Open 1R.

Reporter: Kim, Patrick Mcenroe said he didn't think you could win the US Open because you didn't want it enough. He said you weren't hungry enough.
Kim Clijsters: Oh, I'm hungry. I didn't have my breakfast this morning so I'm very hungry. (smiling)

"You know, I know that in a lot of Grand Slams I think, you know, women's tennis, you know, I mean if you watch -- you know, I'm in the committee of the WTA and, you know, we get a lot of the results back from the Grand Slams and stuff. And, you know, women's tennis, at the moment, I think is a little bit more popular I think, if you compare them to, you know, whatever, TV ratings and stuff like that." – Kim Clijsters, on the state of women's tennis

"In the men's game, they're all good friends. But we're not friends. Everyone wonders who's the prettiest, who's the most popular, the most fashionable, who's getting the most coverage." – Ana Ivanovic

"I kissed the net because I felt so lucky. Someone upstairs made the ball roll over." – Ana Ivanovic on the net cord that saved her on match point down to Nathalie Dechy.

"It's really strange. Didn't she just come back?" – Ana Ivanovic, on Justine Henin's second retirement.

"Sport does not build character, it shows it." – Ana Ivanovic, after Jelena Jankovic beat her and imitated her trademark fist-pump at the 2010 Madrid Open.


"I felt like I was playing against a guy, the way her serves were coming at me. It's sometimes scary, and when she starts to scream, I'm like, come on. She's quite a powerful, big girl." – Jelena Jankovic after her umpteenth loss to Ivanovic at 2007 LA.

"She cannot hurt you with anything. She doesn't have any weapons from what I've seen." – Jelena Jankovic, on Melanie Oudin

"The receiver feels like the ball is coming way faster than it is because of the grunt that comes with the ball. So you back up a little bit and you think this huge thing is coming at you, almost a bomb, and the ball doesn't really go that fast." "I don't think its acceptable, I don't need to grunt and these girls don't either, I'm not the only one complaining here, it's ridiculous." – Jelena Jankovic, on Maria Sharapova's grunting.

"Tell her (Azarenka) to be ready when I'm serving, that's more important. You didn't tell her, but you're telling me these stupid things." – Jelena Jankovic, when umpire Eva Asderaki asked her to stop her brother from cheering loudly in 2013 Cincinnati SF.

"To be number one, you should be complete and if you are number one you have to be beating the Williams sisters. I'm one of the rare players who has a positive record against the Williams sisters." – Jelena Jankovic

"You're calling me a veteran? Thanks for making me feel very old." – Jelena Jankovic, 23, after her victory over 17-year-old Caroline Wozniacki.

"I never saw her do this when she's leading. Every time she has a lead, she's running for the balls and she's hitting those big serves. For some reason, every time she starts losing, she starts serving slower or not running for certain balls. That's something that as a player you have to pay attention. It's not the first time when we played that she's doing this. That's I think her way of playing or maybe when she plays against me. But when it's important moment, huge serve comes up, so you have to be on alert every time. You never know if she's going to come slow or really fast one. It's not easy to focus. It's important for me to focus on my game and not really let those kind of things affect me and not allow me to play my game, but it's the way it is. She's by far I think the best player. She deserves to be in this spot. But I think it's also, when you play, winning or losing, you have to be up there and be a good sportsman." – Jelena Jankovic, after being beaten 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 by a sick/tired Serena Williams in the 2013 YEC SF.

Interviewer: "So how do you feel about your next round, playing Jelena Jankovic?"
Marion Bartoli: "I always beat her."
Jankovic in response: "She talks like she's just Serena Williams. Everybody had a right to say what she wants. I'm not really focused on Bartoli. She's not like my biggest rival or someone I look up to or I'm scared of. She's just one of the players on tour, not a big name, or someone who is making the big results or headlines in the game. Bartoli is going to get it tomorrow." (Bartoli won saving 2 match points.)

Reporter: "Have you thought about your next round opponent?"
Jankovic: "Who am I playing? I don't even know who yet."
Reporter: "Thai girl."
Jankovic: "Tiger?"
Reporter: "Tanasugarn."
Jankovic: "I was thinking, Tiger Woods (laughter)? I was like, are we playing golf on grass or what (laughter)?"
– at 2008 Wimbledon, before her 4R loss

"Jelena Jankovic and especially Marion Bartoli" – Aravane Rezai, on who shows the worst sportsmanship on tour.

"As a person, Jelena is horrible. As a player, she's okay." – Aravane Rezai, on Jelena Jankovic

"Outside the court, I am not, however, equally impressed by her. I had booked a massage after the game clock 17.30, when I get there, my name is gone. Then Jelena without saying anything to me removed my name and wrote her own." – Sofia Arvidsson on Jelena Jankovic

"It's a little bit (distracting), she took her towel here, she took a towel there. It's really annoying. She can play really well but she's like up and down all the time." – Anastasia Myskina, after defeating Jelena Jankovic 6-0 5-7 10-8 at 2005 Wimbledon

"She's a really strange player. Let's put it that way. She walks on the court. I don't think she really care about the way she plays. She cares more about how she looks. That was kind of strange. She was touching her hair, whatever, her skirt. I was just thinking, 'if you don't want to play tennis, why are we even trying here so hard?'" – Anastasia Myskina after defeating Jelena Jankovic 6-4 7-6(5) at 2006 Wimbledon.

"Not at all. I mean, that wasn't even a big match. The serve-and-volley was nothing today. It's just my mistakes and, well, she served pretty well. That's the only one thing she can do." – Anastasia Myskina on if she was impressed by Nicole Vaidisova after losing at 2005 Charleston.

"She surprised me by playing a very slow, patient game. She was playing so slow I couldn't believe it was for real." – Anastasia Myskina, after defeating Yvonne Meusburger 3-6 6-3 6-1 at Fed Cup in 2004.

"I don't care much." "Very few people in our circle like her. Mostly, because of her mean talk. For instance, she once greeted Sveta Kuznetsova with words like 'How are you doing, Terminator?' And that, given that they almost never met before, because when Hingis retired, Sveta had been only starting. It was said just out of spite. And you know what she said about me when we played for the first time? She won - not that easy, by the way - and said "this one won't achieve anything". And I, by the way, avenged that loss the next time we played. And now I'd gladly play against her." – Anastasia Myskina, when asked what she thought about Hingis' return in 2006.

"Today was serve, backhand, forehand. You know, today everything wasn't good. I didn't want to fight. I didn't want to run. I didn't want to do anything. And it's not excuse." – Anastasia Myskina, after losing to Anna Chakvetadze at the 2004 US Open.

"If she joins our team next season, you won't see me there for sure." "I do not want to be on a team with people who do not respect me." – Anastasia Myskina, on Sharapova & Fed Cup in November 2004 (inflicted by Yuri's behaviour during their match at YEC SF which Sharapova won in 3 sets)

"She is more American then Russian. She speaks Russian with a coarse accent." – Anastasia Myskina, on Sharapova during 2004 Kremlin Cup

"My real goal is the Olympics." – Anastasia Myskina, after pulling out from the Polish Open in 2004 due to injury.

"You never know. Dementieva, it's also she's playing, playing, losing, losing, all of a sudden she's in the quarterfinals. You never know." "If she wakes up on the right leg, she can play too." – Anastasia Myskina on Elena Dementieva, at 2006 Wimbledon.

"The WTA is saying there are three victims but I only see two of them – me and Nathalie Dechy, who have nothing to do with this." – Elena Dementieva on doping allegations against Svetlana Kuznetsova at the 2005 Australian Open

"Taking a 12-minute timeout, I don't think it was fair play, but she can do it by the rules. If that is the only way she can beat me then it is up to her." – Elena Dementieva, on Mary Pierce's medical timeout in the 2005 US Open final. After the timeout Dementieva lost her momentum and the match.

"I don't know what Richard [Williams] thinks about it. I think he will decide who's going to win tomorrow." – Elena Dementieva, on the eve of the 2001 Indian Wells final between Venus and Serena after being beaten 6-0, 6-3 by Venus in the SF.

Elena Dementieva, suggested again before the 2008 Wimbledon final between Venus and Serena that the outcome of the Williams-Williams matches was decided beforehand: "It's really hard. For sure it's going to be a family decision."
Venus Williams, when being told about what Dementieva had said: "Yeah I don't want to talk about her."

"Her face was that she has like a very painful something, you know. And then she started to move very well. I thought she is a really good actress." – Elena Dementieva after beating Venus Williams at 2004 Miami.

"I don’t consider her a real Russian. Everyone knows she never goes back to Moscow." – Elena Dementieva, on Maria Sharapova

"Personally I think it's a little bit too much, I think the umpire should calm down her a little bit. Next time I beat her, I will say something. But when you are losing…it doesn't look good if you go to the umpire and talking about how loud she was screaming on the court." – Elena Dementieva on Sharapova's grunting, after Sharapova beat her in 2006 Wimbledon QF.

"She was a very great player, an incredible number 1 and I love the way she play but she should not talk time to time, she can do well in a tennis court but in a press room she had some difficulty." – Elena Dementieva, on Martina Hingis. (Dementieva has always cited Hingis as her favourite player and idol.)

"I play her so many times. I remember my first time playing in New York in Madison Square Garden, first round. When I saw the draw, I was almost like crying. I said, 'Ma, I want to go home.'" – Elena Dementieva, on playing Lindsay Davenport.

"Just look at Andy Roddick. He has the biggest serve on the men's tour and he's not the No. 1 because other parts of his game are not so good. I think it's more important to have the desire and the other parts of your game." – Elena Dementieva, defending her weak serve.

"My serve is like a drop shot to her (Serena)." – Elena Dementieva on her serve at 2004 Miami.

Elena Dementieva, after being told that Patty Schnyder had said she was not sure what she would get from Dementieva's second serve: "Yeah, who knows. I don't know either."

"You figure there's eight trillion people in China, and if she's number one there, it says something." – Pam Shriver, after struggling to beat Hu Na.

"It's hard to play against a man, I mean, Martina." – Hana Mandlikova, who lost to Martina Navratilova in 3 sets in 1984 French Open SF.

Hana Mandlikova being asked about super-fit Martina Navratilova at 1984 Wimbledon: "Sometimes, she scares you. She comes into the net with those big muscles. She's very very big and hard to pass. People should be asking doctors how she got that way."
Navratilova responded: "Now I am winning they are complaining about my muscles and big legs. It's time for them to start working and lift their game. I just work at it and they don't." "I've tried to help (Hana) but somewhere along the line she got really bitter with everybody, not just me. She just doesn't seem to like anybody." "She mocked me at the French Open and yesterday apparently. I didn't see it but after I put away a ball and hit it hard, she's going like this (flexes a muscle). Poor little Hana – she's taller and bigger than I am."
Chris Evert after beating Hana Mandlikova: "All this week I've heard a lot of quotes from Pam and Hana and Jordan. Last night someone was reading a big article. There were quotes from all three of those girls. I couldn't believe I was listening to it. I was amused because it was coming from one girl that has never beaten me in her life and another girl, Hana, who hasn't beaten me in three years, and Kathy Jordan who is ranked six in the world."

"I wanted to tell her to cut it out and act like a professional." – Martina Navratilova, after Shaun Stafford smiled during their match.

"She sounds like a pig out here." – Martina Navratilova, after her match with Monica Seles.

"Steffi always has an excuse ready for when she loses." – Martina Navratilova, on Graf's assorted injuries.

Martina Navratilova (to the press in 1982-83): "I want to be the greatest player of all time. But I have a long way to go."
The press reported only the first part of that quote to Chris Evert who then responded: "Martina's had one great year, and I've had seven."

"Tell Martina not to worry. She'll have nine whole months to play me." – Chris Evert, when being told that Navratilova accused Evert of avoiding her in the indoor circuit.

Pam Shriver: "I've played ton of doubles matches on Court 1. It's a very intimate, great court."
Chris Evert: "I'll take your word for it Pam."
when commentating on the 2012 French Open.

"If someone had stabbed Martina, I would have won a lot more Slams, too." – Chris Evert

"She knows I was injured when she beat me at the French, but she crowed about it anyways. She had very little respect." – Chris Evert, on Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario

"I was very upset about her grunting when I lost to her in Houston. I think someone told her, because when I played her at the U.S. Open, the grunting wasn't as loud." – Chris Evert, on Monica Seles' grunting.

"She can put a knife in you with a big smile on her face. You wonder if she means it or if it's just innocence. You never know." – Chris Evert, on Martina Hingis

"They read books that don't even have pictures in them, which is a bit of an upset on the women's tour, frankly." – Mary Carillo, on the Williams sisters

Mary Carillo: "Are you good with that (Serena might be able to win her 18th GS title by the end of 2013)?"
Martina Navratilova: "It would be a great achievement."
Mary Carillo: "You good with that?"
Martina Navratilova: "It's possible."
Mary Carillo: "I mean do you want to see her..."
Martina Navratilova: "No. No of course not. I don't want her to get to 18."
– when commentating on 2013 French Open 3R between Serena Williams and Sorana Cirstea

"I hate to say it, but my results and ranking have to do with me. The level of the tour isn't going down at all. All of these girls are great players and in great shape and I'm just that damn good." – Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova, whose dress had too much color and was considered unsuitable, when asked what she'd wear for her next match: "Nothing. And it will be predominantly white."

Reporter: "Are you still a lesbian?"
Martina Navratilova: "Are you still the alternative?"

Pam Shriver: "(interviewing Navratilova) Martina, you've had some great memories on Louis Armstrong stadium over your career. Are there any memories on this court that are particularly painful?"
Martina Navratilova: "Yeah. Losing to you, bitch!"












































































Pam Shriver: "Which time?"
 
#9 ·
My favorite TF thread. :tears:
 
#15 ·
Way too many to comment on :lol:.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Sesil Karatantcheva :spit: How I never came across those less known quotes ...


"work,work and more work = no results= fuck it! i wont do shit and see what happens!" – Sesil Karatancheva during her comeback, on her Facebook wall.

"People have been saying this week that I remind them a lot of Anna Kournikova and at first I thought 'My God, am I that bad of a tennis player?' But then I realized they meant I was pretty so I take it as a compliment now." – Sesil Karatancheva

also

''I am going to kick her ass'' - before losing to Sharapova 0-6 1-6


Also Sloane - those are gems.


I love seeing myself, so I guess it works out!" – Sloane Stephens, on having posters of herself around the 2013 US Open.

"People are always telling me they hate her (Azarenka) – I don't know why." – Sloane Stephens

"I'm friends with Jamie [Hampton], Christina [McHale], and Melanie [Oudin] – well, we don't see Melanie as much anymore!" – Sloane Stephens :sobbing: Now we only see McHale :sobbing:
 
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#18 ·
Does anyone know who Laura had in mind with ''sluts'' comment? :oh:
 
#20 ·
I wish some had receipts though. Anna K to my knowledge was never known as being as 'arrogant' as she was in her quotes :lol:.
 
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