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Greg Rusedski: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"You are talking a 0.5% improvement."

Greg Rusedski is confident that Andy Murray has the ability to win Wimbledon.

What he really meant:

“It’s the small things that matter.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“0.5% will take 99.5% of his time and effort.”

Andrew Hilditch: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“I’ll just keep doing it until someone wants me to stop.”

Andrew Hilditch, national chairman of Australian selectors, intends to continue as long as possible.

What he really meant:

“Are you telling me, someone wants this job???”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Cricket Australia and I are wedded for life.”

Saurav Ganguly: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

 

What he said:

“"I (would) like to play for some more years in IPL. May be after four or five years, I will think about other option.”

Saurav Ganguly would like to continue in the IPL..

What he really meant:

“I’m suffering from brain freeze. Hence, I cannot consider other options.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I’m forming a brand new IPL. Me ,myself and I are the foremost teams.”

Diego Maradona: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"This is not a family if no one plays soccer. No one is asking what can be done to improve soccer. There are motorcyclists, swimmers, race car drivers, but there is not one soccer player that can give advice."

Diego Maradona refuses to be part of the FIFA family.

What he really meant:

"At least, I played the game. These guys treat players like we do footballs."

What he definitely didn’t:

"FIFA, live and learn from the BCCI."

(Assuming, of course,that Maradona follows cricket—Indian cricket.)

‘Red, Red Clay’ by Francesca Schiavone and Li Na

 

Li Na finally won her first major at the ripe, old age of 29.

Francesca Schiavone’s hopes of defending her 2010 title were dashed by the daughter of a former badminton player. Li Na was told to switchover to tennis at eight by her coach. 

If there is a theme song for  the two unlikely protagonists in yet another fairy-tale ending at Roland Garros, it can only be ‘Red Red Clay’, a modified version of UB40’s ‘Red Red Wine’.

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Li Na: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

“Age just paper.It’s just plus one.”

Li Na says that the age factor in the women’s final is not such a big deal.

What she really meant:

“Hell, Francesca’s just a year older than me.”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Ageism? What’s that?”

Li Na: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

“I’m not old. Why do you think I’m old? I feel I’m still young."

Li Na is not old—according to her—on the WTA Tour.

What she really meant:

“Age is a state of mind.”

What she definitely didn’t:

“I’m a spring chicken.”

Francesca Schiavone: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

"Okay, we only have about 70 million. But we have big hearts."

Francesca Schiavone is heartened by just 70 million compatriots’ support for the French Open final.

What she really meant:

“Numbers? Numbers mean nothing to me.”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Italians have heart problems.”

French Open 2011: Can Roger Federer and Li Na overcome?

He did it.

Roger Federer is through to his first major final since the 2010 Australian Open.

He was written off. Yet he bounced back.

Novak Djokovic can console himself that he almost took the match into the final set. It says a lot for the progress he has made in the past six months. His confidence has skyrocketed and setbacks are to be met with unequivocal defiance.

Federer may not have captured a Slam in over a year but he was unlikely to let a 2-0 lead in a Grand Slam semi-final go to waste. The writing was on the wall. The Djoker delayed the inevitable—splendidly.

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Novak Djokovic: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"It was best five months of my life."

Novak Djokovic comments on his 43-match winning streak after losing to Roger Federer in the French Open semis.

What he really meant:

“It was the best five months of my life.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“It was the worst five months of my life.”