French Open: The Best Quotes of Week 1

What the stars said, who they said it about, and why it may or may not matter.

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8 days are in the books at Roland Garros, and a lot has been said about who the eventual French Open champions might be. Some call it prognostication, others call it speculation, and it's frequently done without any sign of trepidation. Unfortunately, many of these words -- my wretched Sam Stosur pick comes to mind -- will turn out to be more hot air than wisdom. But there is a time and a place for hot air, just as there is a time and a place for wisdom, and sometimes it can not only be entertaining, it can also keep you warm.

Okay now, enough hot air -- onto the quotes. Enjoy.

"I'm almost 25 but it seems like I'm playing for 100 years."-- Rafael Nadal, on the what a grind life on the ATP tour can be. (If only the thousands of players ranked below Nadal could have it so good.)

"There is no mental problem."-- Vera Zvonareva, after receiving the usual grilling from the press after her loss to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the 4th round.

"I would love to be a rock star but I can't sing."-- Victoria Azarenka on her off-court ambitions in an interview with Bill Macatee of Tennis Channel.

"He pushed me around, believe me."-- John Isner when asked about how he managed to hold his own for 5 sets against Rafael Nadal in the first round.

"You have to be friends with wind, sometimes maybe it can help you."-- Na Li, philosophizing on the elements and how they affect a tennis match.

"An occasional broken racquet during a match image-wise isn't good, but it can help you refocus, but after a match it's pointless because it doesn't do anything but make you look like an idiot."-- Ryan Harrison, after he tossed his racquet into a tree after losing in the final round of qualifying.

"None, because I said to myself if I started to do that I would end up crazy."

-- Gilles Simon, when asked whether he had any pre-match superstitions.

"I know you guys are bored in the press, you don't have big stories, so that's why you put 'Myskina is new coach' -- she got scared, poor girl."-- Svetlana Kuznetsova, on the press over reacting to her new arrangement with Anastasia Myskina.

"What he's done is so much harder than what I did. He won a major, there's so much more depth in the game, he's doing it on different surfaces, a lot of the top players play more of the same events so that makes it difficult -- he's beaten Nadal 4 times this year, and we're in May."-- John McEnroe, discussing Novak Djokovic's remarkable winning streak, in an interview with Bill Macatee of Tennis Channel

"I've had pressure for the last seven years. Third in the world still comes with a bit of pressure as well, so don't worry about that."-- Roger Federer, on how it feels to have less pressure this year at Roland Garros.

"When you see someone like Clijsters going out, Wozniacki going out, you should be on your toes all the time, and be aware that all the girls out there are playing great tennis and you have to be at 100 percent to beat them."-- Andrea Petkovic on the wide open feel of this year's women's draw at Roland Garros.

"He is really very mean to me but I like that -- I think I need it."-- Daniela Hantuchova on her coach, during a television interview.