They Said It: The first week of Wimbledon in Quotes

The Break: Kyrgios and Tsitsipas figured into the notable quotables from SW19

Yeah, it's been totally different honestly. A part of me feels like that is a little bit more of my life now than tournaments. Serena Williams, on how her life now as an entrepreneur compares to her recent past as a player. Wimbledon was her first tournament in a year (almost to the day). She lost in the first round.

Now I'm not really chasing the ranking as much as I have, until I was breaking record for longest weeks at No. 1. Then after that it just wasn't as I think important in terms of priority for me. This year I didn't have a chance to defend 4,000 points, in Australia 2,000, 2,000 here. That affects my ranking in general, of course. But my priorities are different now. Top seed Novak Djokovic, on the impact the ATP and WTA’s retaliatory decision to not award rankings points at Wimbledon because of the lock-out of Russian and Bellarussan players due to Russia’s invasion and war on Ukraine.

This time around, even though I'm considered a favorite, I don't feel like it as much as I did when I was 15 or even 16. I felt like I was a little bit delusional in my head about how much people wanted me to win, whereas now I feel like if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. Coco Gauff, now 18-years old, on her expectations at Wimbledon, before losing in the third round to fellow American, Amanda Anisimova

I am going to be talking with [about] my foot today and not anymore, if is fine for you guys. I have been always very open. We cannot be talking about my foot every single day. If not, we forget the most important thing: that is tennis. Rafael Nadal, before the start of play, about his ongoing struggle with a chronic, career-threatening foot injury. He embarked on the second week talking about chasing the third leg of a rare calendar-year Grand Slam.

I really feel for those guys who are so committed to tennis and so professional. Obviously they have good chances to win, so I feel for them. I think at the end of the day, with everything going on with the war, I don't mind that from Wimbledon. Yeah, I think it's just a tough situation in general. It's not easy for everyone. British hope Cam Norrie, the No. 9 seed, on Wimbledon’s decision to ban players from Russia and Belarus due to Russia’s invasion and war against Ukraine.

I think first of all [it’s] the dress code that everybody loves. For me it feels like a wedding, everybody in white, or a beach party. No. 3 WTA seed Ons Jabeur, on the charm of Wimbledon traditions. She is in the second week.

I'm not really looking forward to playing best-of-five set doubles. I think it's the stupidest thing ever, to be brutally honest. I don't know why it's best-of-five sets. No one wants to play best-of-five sets doubles. No one wants to watch best-of-five sets doubles. Unseeded Nick Kyrgios, who will be playing in the second week, foreshadowing his withdrawal from doubles. He made the coveted second week at Wimbledon for the fourth time.

Well, no, I would not say that he was not good enough like he wrote in the post. I was just panicking during the match. I didn't handle very well the pressure. I didn't know that he's going to post. . . I was shocked that he did that post and he took everything on him. But it was not on him. It was on me. Former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep on her new coach Patrick Mouratoglou’s Instagram post, in which he blamed himself for Halep’s “panic attack” during her second-round loss at the French Open. Halep survived the first week looking calm.

I actually watched his second-round match against Albert Ramos in French Open where he hit one down the line [like today] on breakpoint in the fifth set, break down, and I was just jumping out of the couch. I couldn't believe it. Was screaming to my girlfriend, like, ‘Did you see that?’ She was, like, ‘What happened?’ And I said, like, ‘That's just amazing. Jan-Lennard Struff on his “instant replay” experience when Carlos Alcaraz smacked a winner during a dramatic moment in five-set, first-round struggle ultimately won by he Spanish teen sensation.

That's true. Let's make it quick. WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek, after her first round win, when a reporter pointed out that doing press might keep Swiatek from watching the man who followed her on Centre Court - Swiatek’s idol, Rafael Nadal. Alize Cornet ended Swiatek’s 37-match winning streak in the third round.

I put a lot of pressure on myself, because I don't want to lose first round. I want to win. I want to get back to the highest ranking. I want to keep winning a lot of matches. So the pressure always going to be there. That's a part of who I am playing, too, because I enjoy and I love it. Multiple Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, whose comeback attempt has been largely frustrating, after his first-round loss to Jannik Sinner.

I think I've been asked this question in every press conference. But I am 19-years old. Yes, I have had attention. But I'm a slam champion, so no one's going to take that away from me. Yeah, if anything, the pressure is on those who haven't done that. Surprise US Open champion Emma Raducanu responding yet again to questions about how she handles the pressure of the spotlight she was thrust into. Raducanu is 9-12 on this, her first full year on the tour. She lost in the second-round.

I have had flu symptoms and been isolating the last few days. Despite symptoms not being severe, I decided it was important to take another test this morning to protect the health and safety of my fellow competitors and everyone else involved in the tournament. Matteo Berrettini took a bullet for the team (his fellow players) when he pulled out of Wimbledon with mild Covid symptoms. The Italian star had established himself among the very top contenders by winning back-to-back titles in tuneup events on grass at Stuttgart and Queen's Club. Withdrawing before he played a match allowed a “lucky loser” to take his place - and protected those around him from catching Covid.

I don't feel good seeing them. . . I don't know about other Ukrainian players, but I just heard from one Belarusian player that she's, like, she's supporting us, me, and Ukraine, and she's against the war. I haven't heard from anyone else that they are against the war. Ukrainian pro Lesia Tsurenko, on the indifference of Russian and Belarussan players to the plight of Ukraine, after her first-round win. She lost in round three.

Certainly more and more players have started returning from further, further behind the baseline now to give themselves an advantage to return. The underarm serve is a way of saying, If you're going to step back there, then I'm going to possibly throw that in.I don't know why people have ever found it potentially disrespectful or... I've never understood that. It's a legitimate way of serving. Andy Murray, two-time Wimbledon champion, who threw in an underhand shovel serve during his first round win. He was beaten in round two.

I saw Frances [Tiafoe] practicing with him [Nadal]. We all know Frances likes to joke and everything. But we made a joke. We were like, ‘Frances, you didn't crack one joke in today's practice. He is like, ‘Nah, I don't do it with Rafa.’ Coco Gauff, when asked about the respect accorded to Nadal.

We were thinking about renting. Something around this (Wimbledon) area would probably be a bit of a box. But, yeah, we'll see. Hopefully win a couple matches, then maybe we'll be able to get something a little bit bigger. Alastair Gray, one of six British players who made the second round, on his close friendship with another British winner in round one - and prospective housemate - Ryan Peniston. Neither man advanced past round two.

I didn't deserve that, she asked me before the tournament if we wanna play doubles and I said ‘Yes,’ I didn't ask her, she asked me! If you're broken after a 3 [hour] match the day before, you can't play professional. Sorry, but I've played 6:33 [hours] in one day and played a singles match the next day. That's my opinion. Tamara Korpatsch, after Harmony Tan, who upset Serena Williams in a long, grueling match, decided to pull out of the doubles. Korpatsch lost in the first round in singles.

I'll keep playing, keep adding to my [ace] total. I don't think that's a record that -- I don't know if it will get broken. I could be up there for a long time.It's actually really cool. It's something I'm really proud of. John Isner, on the eve of his second-round match, in which he was virtually assured of establishing a new record for career ace production. Isner was beaten by Jannik Sinner in that match, but he secured the record in his second service game when he smacked ace No. 13,729. He tagged 24 aces but lost to Sinner.

She hit some shots on the line. There was one bad bounce. I was kind of looking at them, like laughing in a way, like, ‘Of course that happens. . . .’ Today just wasn't my day. I feel like the universe just keeps testing me, but I'm not going to let up. Oft-injured former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, following her second-round loss to Elena Rybakina. The philosophically inclined 22-year old Canadian has faced stiff resistance as she strives to return to the top.

I might just withdraw it all and just, like, lie on it. No, no idea to be honest. I'm getting a bit older now so I need to start looking for somewhere to live other than my parents' house. [But] at the end of the day, as nice as the prize money is, I'm not serving at 5-1 and thinking, ‘F, I've got 120 grand here on the line.’ I'm serving and thinking, ‘I'm about to beat Diego Schwartzman.’ Liam Broady, the 28-year old British journeyman, after he was asked by a reporter what he would do with the guaranteed $147,680 paycheck he earned with his second-round upset of one of the toughest outs in tennis, No. 12 seed Diego Schwartzman.

I texted her a couple of times because it's unbelievable the way that she's playing. It's unbelievable the way that she's able to hold the concentration and the winning spirit for such a long time. . .That's amazing, no? No. 2 mens’ seed Rafael Nadal an unabashed fan Iga Swiatek, following his round two win over Ricardas Berankis.

We are damned good. It is what it is. Playing great tennis. Tommy is close. He's playing great. About to get in the fourth round. Hopefully he finishes that match out. The guys are just good. Most of us were seeded, most seeded in Paris too. We're playing great tennis. I think we always feed off each other. We all believe it, all believe we can be even doing better than what we are doing currently. Frances Tiafoe, after he advanced to the fourth round on his generation of players. The US had eight men in the third round. No other nation had more than two. Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Brandon Nakashima joined Tiafoe as second week contenders.

Last year at US Open I lost to Emma, second-round. I feel, like, ‘Oh, my God, she play so good, and then she won the tournament. Three years ago, I play against Simona here at quarterfinals, and then she won the Wimbledon. And also I played third-round Sofia Kenin, Australia Open. She won the tournament. So I just tell Caro, ‘So many time they beat me, after, they won the tournament. She say, ‘Okay, don't tell me too early’ [because] she have to concentrate next match. Shuai Zhang, after losing in the third round to close friend Caroline Garcia, describing the lengthy, laugh-filled conversation the two had at the net.

Funny enough, today, when I finished, [my father] is like, ‘Oh, I have to book [the hotel] again.’ I was, like, ‘You're kidding me.’ He wasn't kidding, but he managed to book the same hotel, so I have a room probably until Tuesday, but I don't care. I said, ‘Even if someone is joining me in my room, I'm not leaving this hotel.’ He's like, Ajla hungry rats swim the fastest. Whatever that means. Like some old fatherly saying. I'm like, ‘Well, I'm not a rat and I'm not hungry. I just want my house from the beginning till the end, - or maybe you should just believe in me a little more.’ Alja Tomljanovic, after earning a place in the second week, explained why she had to move from a house to a hotel, then re-book the hotel as well, because her father kept expecting her to lose. She punched through to the fourth round with a three set over former French Open champ - and No. 13 seed - Barbora Krejcikova.

Yeah, it's constant bullying, that's what he does. He bullies the opponents. He was probably a bully at school himself. I don't like bullies. I don't like people that put other people down. He has some good traits in his character, as well. But when he -- he also has a very evil side to him, which if it's exposed, it can really do a lot of harm and bad to the people around him. . . . I really hope all us players can come up with something and make this a cleaner version of our sport, have this kind of behavior not accepted, not allowed, not tolerated, and move on better. Stefanos Tsitsipas, seeded No. 4, after he was beaten in the third round by Nick Kyrgios, commenting on the character, and the gamesmanship practiced by his Australian opponent.

Okay, maybe I'm a little more relaxed when I'm the underdog. I think I have nothing to lose, and that's where I am the most dangerous. I play my shots, like, more relaxed, I hit better from the baseline. I don't know, I don't have any parasite in my thoughts. Alize Cornet, after her third-round upset halted Iga Swiatek’s 37-match winning streak.

I don't care. As I said, when I'm back home and you see my everyday [life] and who I'm competing with on the basketball court, these guys are dogs. The people I'm playing at Wimbledon, they're not -- he's that soft, to come in here and say I bullied him, that's just soft. We're not cut from the same cloth. I go up against guys who are true competitors. Nick Kyrgios, responding to Tsitsipas’s criticism - and accusations of poor sportsmanship - in the contentious, sometimes ugly third-round match, won by Kyrgios.

But why? I'm confused. Normally tomorrow they would not have any matches? Sorry, my tennis IQ is not very high to know that. Amanda Anisimova, when asked on Saturday how she felt about Wimbledon finally abandoning its tradition of no play on the middle Sunday. She made the fourth-round with an upset of No. 11 Coco Gauff.

That's a question I can't answer. Like, I don't know. I feel like, you know, I don't know. Who knows? Who knows where I'll pop up. Serena Williams, on whether or not she’ll return to Wimbledon next year following just the third first-round loss at a major.