Tennis

Jo Wilfried Tsonga: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"He plays incredible tennis, but he’s not an alien.”

Jo Wilfried Tsonga is convinced that Novak Djokovic is not an extra-terrestrial despite playing extraordinary  tennis this year. Tsonga adds: “In fact, what he does is doing everything better than the others. He doesn’t hit harder, he doesn’t hit the ball earlier. But he’s always there. This is tiring when you play against him. He does not have the best return on the tour. But on every return, he returns well, and he’s always there. So what does it is his consistency, and he has no weaknesses."

What he really meant:

“If Novak’s an alien, then so are the rest of us. It’s just that he does it over a longer period.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Djokovic’s alienated.”

Jo Wilfried Tsonga: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“"I don’t have the pretension to try to beat Novak without my arm."

Jo Wilfried Tsonga is more than realistic about his chances against Novak Djokovic without a ‘good arm’. The Frenchman conceded his semi-final at Montreal 4-6,0-3 complaining of pain in his right appendage.

What he really meant:

“I have one tennis-playing arm and one racket. I’m not ambidextrous.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“It’s not golf. We don’t play handicapped.”

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.”

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.”

Michael Chang: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“I would have thought that he would know me better than that; that me going out and expressing that has nothing to do with saying, ‘I’m better than you, or ‘God loves me more than he loves you.’ That’s not the case."

Michael Chang is cut up with Andre Agassi’s remarks in his autobiography, Open. The Las Vegan criticised his Christian faith and Michael’s habit of thanking God for his match results.

What he really meant:

“Andre, it’s the same God—for you and me. No favourites with him.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Burn it, Burn Open.”

“Andre, get me your publisher. I have memoirs to make public, as well.”

David Lloyd: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

 

What he said:

"If you look at Nadal, Djokovic and Federer when they come on the court, they have a demeanour.They are exceptionally well-dressed and clean-shaven. Andy doesn’t come on like that."

David Lloyd, former English Davis Cup captain, feels that Andy Murray lacks an on-court presence unlike his rivals, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

What he really meant:

“I really don’t feel a beard suits Murray but since I’m not qualified to talk about fashion sense, I’ll just link that to his lack of Grand Slam wins.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I love Bjorn Borg.”

Sunil Gavaskar: What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

“Somebody should tell them nobody from Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool has come to scout talent here.”

Sunil Gavaskar is not quite thrilled about Indian cricketers getting injured playing soccer rather than in the nets or on the field.

What he really meant:

“It’s the IPL, for Christ’s sake, not the EPL.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“They’re cricketers, they should just focus on cricket. In my heyday, I played tennis, badminton, TT and hockey with a cricket bat.”

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

What she said:

"Well, I think that ball came from the other court. I saw it coming.I saw it moving into the court. Then I asked for replaying the point.”

Caroline Wozniacki recounts her reaction to a ball landing in Court 2 in her second round match against Virginie Razzano.

What she really meant:

“What? Where? How? Replay, please!”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Did I hit the ball, already?”

Ryan Harrison:What he said, really meant and definitely did not

What he said:

"I’ve been in trouble with [my temper] since I was young.When I was 5, 6 years old, every single time I got mad or threw a racket, I had to do 20 push-ups. And it wasn’t that I stopped the racket throwing or getting mad — I just did a lot of push-ups."

Ryan Harrison, the hope of American men’s tennis, admits he has a temper from an early age and was penalised for it—often.

What he really meant:

“I’ve always had a vile temper.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“I love doing push-ups.”