TENNIS US OPEN – Our Giulio Gasparin has selected the best quotes from Day 8 of US Open at Flushing Meadows. Azarenka, Williams, Bouchard, Murray, Tsonga and Wawrinka.
Victoria Azarenka came back from a set down to defeat the surprise of the tournament, Serbian qualifier Aleksandra Krunic 4-6 6-4 6-4.
“I think she played exceptionally well today,” said the last year’s finalist. “She played on a really high level and pretty consistent through the whole match.
“She gave a fight, and she wasn’t afraid to go big on the important moments. I was a little bit surprised that she’s not that tall, and she hits the ball and unleashes her forehand with so much power.”
The former world number one replied with a joke to the suggestion that she struggled a lot to get so far.
“You’re making it sound like I went through, I don’t know, that I almost died and, you know, there was 10 sharks and I got attacked and I survived. And, you know, I saved a dolphin, as well,” she said.
“It’s not that complicated, really. You know, what I enjoy is to play tennis. To be talking about what happened with my injuries, I mean, it’s useless already. Really what I want to do is to focus on the moment”
The young Serb was still all smiles in the press room, realising that her run has been one to remember.
“It’s too early for me to feel this whole emotions,” she said. “But for sure tomorrow when I wake up, you know, when I sit with my team, when I talk with them, I will be very proud of myself.
“If I keep working this way, I think I can make it to the main draw of Australia, as I wanted from the beginning of the year.
“It was a very great tournament for me. I got myself a chance to play against the big champions. To feel, you know, that you can compete with them on the same level. It’s a big deal, and for sure gives me big motivation to keep working.”
Ekaterina Makarova has not stopped surprising in slams and, for the second time this year, she qualified for a Slam quarter-final. She defeated Eugenie Bouchard in two tight sets 7-6 6-4, in a match where the heat was more than a factor.
The young Canadian was forced to ask for some medical treatment in the second set.
“I was feeling very light headed and dizzy on the court,” she said. “You know, just seeing things a little blurry. I have had a few late, tough matches here, and I don’t think I fully recovered from those.
“I remember as a junior a few times in Australia when it was hot I felt this way. Last year here actually in the second round I felt it a little bit. You know, once in a while I get a little bit light headed.”
But the Russian did not let the time-out break her momentum.
“Well, actually, I thought, thanks (smiling),” she admitted. “Because I also was tired. It was really help for me also because I had some time to recover and also to use some ice bags. It was actually kind of good medical timeout.
“Today was really tough condition definitely. So humid, and sometimes I think because of that the game was going like up and down. Against Bouchard it’s always tough because she’s running good.
“She’s also really — like physically she’s hard. So I think it was really good match, and I’m really happy that in the end of the first and the second set I was a little bit more aggressive.”
Serena Williams appared as happy as it can get after qualifying for the first Slam quarter-final of the year by beating Kaia Kanepi with a double 6-3.
“I never thought it would be so exciting (smiling),” she admitted. “Yeah! It feels good. Obviously I don’t want this to end. But I’m just happy that I’m able to be performing a little better at the end of the year.
“I’m playing a little better I think than I was in the beginning of the year. I’m also a little more relaxed.”
Australian Open winner, Stan Wawrinka, had a tough match against Spanish veteran Tommy Robredo, but managed to close 7-5 4-6 7-6 6-2.
“I think there were a few moments in the match that’s make big difference,” he said. “I think I want it also because mentally I was really strong today.
“I was accepting the fact that I was really down physically in the third set, that I was struggling a lot with cramping and everything.
“But I wasn’t complaining about that. I stayed positive with that.”
After the early struggles, Andy Murray looked as good as never this year and qualified for the quarter-finals after defeating Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in straight sets 7-5 7-5 6-4, avenging one of his summer’s losses to him.
The Frenchman, winner of the US Open series, was disappointed for this loss, but looked for no excuses.
“The only explanation on what’s happen today is my opponent was better than me,” he said. “You know, on the court. I missed of course few things, you know.
“But at the end we have to play each point, and he was just better than me on these three sets.”
The Scot was obviously happy with his performance.
“Today was a good match for the most part, but, yeah, I mean, you never know, to be honest,” he admitted. “I feel like I’m playing well. I’m going to have to play extremely well to win the event or even just to get through the next match.
“You never know what can happen in a couple of days. Obviously winning matches does build confidence. I mean, I played against some very good players this year and lost a few close matches.
“How big it is? I don’t really know, to be honest. I hadn’t thought that much about it. But, yeah, I’ll just try and take the confidence that I gained from a win like this into the next round.”
