Tennis

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

What she said:

"I would like to say, my agent doing good job."

Li Na’s response to her signing on by Mercedes Benz and Haagen-Dazs,making her the highest earning female athlete after Maria Sharapova, is as funny as her other wisecracks.

What she really meant:

“I play tennis. I bag trophies. My agent plays sponsors. My agents bags endorsements.”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Sharapova’s agent is doing a better job. Can I have him instead?”

Venus Williams: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

“I just like to receive fun packages. I don’t open the packages with orthotics in them or the sports shorts. (Laughs) I’ll open the ones with the DVDs and the new books and the new clothes. I got a textbook in my last package—I find those exciting, sadly. [What subject?] Organizational behavior.”

Venus Williams loves to receive packages of any kind. Books, DVDs, clothes are par for the course. Textbooks are exciting, paradoxically.

What she really meant:

“It feels like Christmas every time I receive one.”

What she definitely did not: 

“I want a manual: ‘How To Play Tennis Like A Pro’. Get me one of those.”

Q & A with Roger Federer

We caught up with Roger Federer after his loss to Jo Wilfried Tsonga at the Montreal Masters.

1) How does it feel to hit 30?

Not so good, actually, but, of course, I’m not going to say that despite my having my worst year (in terms of majors) since 2002.

2) How’s it going at Montreal?

Not good at all. I thought that Tsonga would take the hint and realize it’s Rogers’ Cup but no. Now they all enjoy taking the mickey out of me. And Nadal (chuckling).

3) Will this affect your US Open preparation?

No, not at all. You saw how I played prior to the French Open and yet I made the finals at Roland Garros.

4) Is retirement on the cards?

I’m still young, I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee (occasionally). Don’t count me out till I’m 35 and then I’ll join Pete (Sampras) on the Champions’ tour.

5) How does Mirka feel about you continuing your touring ways?

As long as I babysit the kids, she has no complaints. (Luckily, the diapers changing phase is past).

Do say: You’re still No.3.

Don’t say: 16—no more.

Disclaimer: The character(s) are real but the interview is fictional.

I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. Will Rogers

Source: http://quotes4all.net/quote_915.html

[Powered by QuotesPlugin v1.0 for Windows Live Writer]

Marion Bartoli: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

“Something is not going well for me here in Toronto.”

Marion Bartoli has no real excuses for her early exit at the Rogers Cup bowing out to Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan. This is the second time Bartoli crashed out in the first round here; she lost to Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine in 2009.

What she really meant:

“I definitely can’t say that things are going swimmingly well for me in Montreal, can I?”

What she definitely didn’t:

“I’m not coming back unless I get a first round bye next year.”

Brad Gilbert: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“He hasn’t lost a stitch of hair. He plays young."

Brad Gilbert is astounded how Federer keeps on playing the game with the zest and zeal of a much younger man.

What he really meant:

“He’s got all his hair, he’s not been injured much and he has 16 majors. You say he’s old?”

What he definitely didn’t:

“The more hairy or hirsute you are, the better the player you’ll be.”

Otto the German Shepherd puzzles over the US Open

My dog, Otto the German Shepherd, is nonplussed.

“Who do you think will win the men’s US Open title this year?”, he barks at me.

I am none-too-pleased at being drawn from my morning cuppa while catching up on the funnies in the paper.

“Why do you want to know?” I growl back.

“I need to know because I need to know.” replies Otto.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” I respond.

Continue reading →

Maria Kirilenko: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

"I didn’t catch the bouquet. All the girls tried to catch it but Dushevina came out from somewhere and stole it from me! I said okay, whatever."

Maria Kirilenko is none-too-perturbed about missing out on the bouquet at the wedding of her friend, Elena Dementieva. Dementieva married NHL star, Maxim Afinogenov, on the 16th of July, 2011 in Moscow.

What she really meant:

“All that practice catching tennis balls from ballboys (and ballgirls) came to naught. You see, there’s no mad scramble for those, on-court.”

What she definitely didn’t:

“’Okay, whatever’ wins me tennis matches.”

Caroline Wozniacki: What she said, really meant and definitely did not

What she said:

"I’d like to be an actress. Could you see me as a Bond girl? You know I live in Monaco, right?"

Caroline Wozniacki would love to be an actress if she were not the No.1 tennis player in the world.

What she really meant:

“I’ve already got the right address for a Bond girl. Is there anything else I need (to be one)?”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Rory McIlroy would make a great James Bond.”

Roger Federer: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“I’d rather be 30 than 20, to be honest.”

Roger Federer celebrates his 30th birthday this month. He has no regrets as he gets older and is comfortable in his own skin.

What he really meant:

“I’m 30, not 20. Let’s face it, I can’t reverse Father Time. I just wish my competition was 30 as well.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Novak and Rafa are welcome to join me in cutting the cake.”

Andre Agassi: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“So Dad, please don’t ever stop telling me what to do.”

Andre Agassi, in his acceptance speech at the Newport International Tennis Hall of Fame, thanked his dad Mike for his advice over the years that included exhorting him to win Wimbledon and all the Slams, getting into the Hall of Fame, and marrying his current wife, Steff Graf.

What he really meant:

“I could always do with more validation. Thanks, Dad.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Just don’t remind me to floss at night. (Steffi does that now.)”