Key quotes from the fourth day of the French Open at Roland Garros on Wednesday:
“I couldn’t find the balance. I couldn’t find the right shot, and it was clearly just too many mistakes.”
Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina after a surprise loss to Yuliia Starodubtseva.
“I would have liked to go to five sets to see whether he would hold out. I saw him complaining a bit, stretching, but that’s Novak. He does this to try and see how his opponent reacts.”
Valentin Royer after losing to Novak Djokovic in four sets.
“I’ve played two matches, and I feel like I’ve played two weeks.”
Djokovic effectively confirms Royer’s suspicions.
“I’ll tell you a funny thing, actually. My boyfriend is my coach, and he told me if I break through top 50, he’ll propose.”
Starodubtseva after moving to 54th in the live WTA rankings by beating Rybakina.
“The referee today, what happened after the match, I will keep to myself, but the behaviour of that… I don’t respect that.”
Jakub Mensik on the chair umpire, who waited for several seconds before going to help the Czech after he collapsed with exhaustion and cramp following his marathon win over Mariano Navone under the blazing sun.
“Is that ideal to go over midnight? Yeah, it’s not. But if you have certain days that you have extreme heat and conditions, then maybe that’s something to consider.”
Djokovic suggests moving matches to later in the day to avoid extreme heat.
“I feel like, when it’s so hot, you just are trying to survive, not only playing against the opponent, but also playing against the conditions.”
Elina Svitolina on the unseasonably hot conditions at Roland Garros.
“Jannik is so good, and Carlos is injured now, but obviously both of them have been winning most of tournaments. I guess their fans are really happy, and I am because I love watching them play, but for sure it’s a bit predictable.”
Iga Swiatek when asked about the current men’s game.
“I think his potential and quality as a tennis player is obvious, no doubt about it. He’s got big Brazilian support anywhere he goes. I think he’s a big-stage player. He really loves the occasion, loves to play night sessions.”
Djokovic on his third-round opponent, Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.
“I’m saying I felt if I kept playing, that’s me probably out of Wimbledon, as well, and maybe even US Open, and something bad to happen. I’m trying to be optimistic. I just want to play the Slams one more time. That’s my goal.”
Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis is looking forward despite his old injury problems forcing him to retire from his match against Pablo Carreno Busta.
“I think she said, like, something that she thought that I’m not a fair player or something like that… we have one of the best chair umpires on the court, and I don’t know how to cheat, honestly.
“There are many cameras on court and they can check everything. Honestly, for me, it would be embarrassing to cheat like that.”
Tamara Korpatsch, whose beaten opponent Wang Xinyu accused her of cheating following a disputed line call.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
