What she said:
"Women cannot have the same mentality of men, who expect to win every competition."
Li Na is inventive with her excuse for not doing well post her Roland Garros triumph this year. The Chinese woman became the first Asian ever to win a Grand Slam at the French Open.
What she really meant:
“Sports requires us (women) to be takers. But we’re givers (by nature)—just ask my hubby and my opponents.”
What she definitely didn’t:
“Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Serena Williams are more than pleased with this explanation.”
“I didn’t know that, but I know I’m a little bit old, like for tennis; for life I’m young.”
Flavia Pennetta is astounded to learn that she’s among the three oldest women still left in the women’s draw at the US Open.
Pennetta added:
But, well, actually we have a good experience, like Francesca last year, she won Roland Garros and she was 30, and this year final with 31. Na Li, she won Roland Garros and she’s 29, also. There is some player can growing up early and some player they need time, and I’m one of them.
What she really meant:
“Life begins after tennis.”
What she definitely didn’t:
“If I’m old before I’m 30, I wonder where middle age went?”
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.
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I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. |
Source: http://quotes4all.net/quote_915.html
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The quarter-finals dawned with not a Williams in sight. No Serena, No Venus.
Yes, they had both returned from injury. They had adequate warm-ups before the championships but not the desired results for bookies to up the ante.
Yet it all seemed business as usual, past the first week.
The odd-makers re-installed Serena as queen over the weekend.
It was not to be. Serena could not stop a rampaging, charged-up Marion Bartoli.
The trio of Ws coming together could generate more than enough hype and hoopla to keep sports writers busy for the next 14 days.
Maria Sharapova is making headlines—not for her fashion sense, boyfriends or her clothing line—but for her tennis. A fabulous run at the French Open reminded players and fans alike why she was considered one of the most exciting talents to burst onto the WTA tour at 17.
Li Na—her first ever major at Roland Garros—and a billion-plus Chinese fans ignited a Marco Polo-like rush to discover the next Chinese star.
The withdrawal of Kim Clijsters—an aggravation of her ankle injury—means that the Belgian is—for all practical purposes—-hobbled in her farewell year.
In the men’s section, the top four seeds each have designs on the title.
Will it be Rafael Nadal, last man standing, on July 3, 2011 making it a treble of French Open and Wimbledon crowns in the same season, emulating his 2008 and 2010 feats—further etching in stone comparisons to the marvellous Bjorn Borg?
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.
There’s nothing more dangerous than a wounded or cornered tiger and Nadal was a wounded tiger who had been licking his wounds ever since he was diagnosed with acute tendinitis in his knees in 2009. After being out for the most part of 2009 and unable to defend his 2008 Wimbledon crown, Nadal decided that it was time to ration out his appearances in the clay court season this time around. A little bit of rest and recuperation for his much abused knees could do no harm!
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It has been a women’s lib , of sorts, at the French Open this year with Samantha Stosur and Francesca Schiavone bulldozing all in their path on their way to the final at Roland Garros.
Samantha Stosur , with her all court play , has ousted Henin, Serena Williams and Jankovic in quick succession. This is her best result ever in any Grand Slam. But it should come as no surprise to followers of the game as her game has improved considerably over the past year or so. She is considered a doubles specialist and it is her play at the net that has served to unnerve and demolish her more accomplished rivals.
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