After 14 days of entertaining tennis and drama, this year’s Wimbledon came to an end on Sunday with a men’s singles final that was an all-time classic.
To cap it all, here’s a look at the best quotes from this year’s Championship to relive the action-packed fortnight.
“Better than ever. It tasted amazing. I’m still digesting it.”
– Novak Djokovic on his tradition of munching the Centre Court grass when he wins the title after his fifth Wimbledon title beating Roger Federer in the longest final in the tournament’s history.
“My mom said when I was 10 that if I want to do something in tennis I have to play in the final at Wimbledon.”
– Simona Halep fulfils mum’s wishes and how in her 6-2, 6-2 dismantling of Serena Williams.
“I’m the loser both times, so that’s the only similarity I see.”
– Federer jokes on what were the similarities between losing to Djokovic and to Rafael Nadal in 2008, the previous holder of the longest ever Wimbledon men’s final.
“In Australia, people used to stare at me because I was in a wheelchair. Now they stare at you because you’re Dylan Alcott and know who you are.”
– Australian Dylan Alcott, a paraplegic since birth, who is three-quarters of the way to a calendar Grand Slam after winning Wimbledon
“Pressure got to me, and it got to a point where it was a bit embarrassing.”
– Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime has been compared to American legend Arthur Ashe but like the rest of the ‘NextGen’ generation found the ‘p’ word too much to bear as he crashed out in the third round to unheralded Frenchman Ugo Humbert who had never played a grass court match before this year.
“Can I leave? I feel like I’m about to cry.”
– Former world No 1 Naomi Osaka’s world has come crashing down around her just months after adding the Australia Open to the US Open victory last year – she became the first top-two seed to exit Wimbledon in the first round since Martina Hingis in 2001.
“Today is sad because for me I know chances are not forever.”
– Rafael Nadal after his four-set defeat by Roger Federer in the semi-finals reflects on how the chances of a third Wimbledon title are receding with the passing of the years.
“I wish she can win the tournament because she’s the best player I like... She’s a great person. You can see in her eyes how nice.”
– Zhang Shuai on Simona Halep after the Romanian won their quarter-final
“Maybe I don’t deserve a break.”
– Next Gen Stefanos Tsitsipas after his first-round defeat to Thomas Fabbiano
“We don’t talk personally. I don’t have her number or anything. I would like that.”
– Coco Gauff, who at 15 brought a much-needed injection of fresh talent, reacts to her role model former United States First Lady Michelle Obama tweeting “Coco is terrific.”
“The thing that made me believe I could achieve and become who I am today is when Greece won the Euros in 2004. And also having the Olympics in 2004. It was a huge impact for me, and that’s where I started really believing in myself and I saw a dream and I saw light.”
– Marcos Baghdatis as he prepares for retirement.
“I was hoping with the success what I did with Jamie last year I was going to be honoured to get asked, but whatever.”
– Victoria Azarenka on missing out on becoming Andy Murray’s mixed doubles partner, having reached the 2018 final with his brother Jamie
“I’ll be watching the cricket.”
– World No 1 Ashleigh Barty on whether she would watch the grudge match between compatriot Nick Kyrgios and Nadal
“It wasn’t creepy. I was just caught off-guard. No, he just asked a random question, Do you want to play mixed at Wimby? I was, like, Sure, why not? Thought it would be fun.”
– Desirae Krawczyk on how Kyrgios approached her to play mixed doubles at Wimbledon by direct messenger.
“It was just in my way, and the wind. I was missing a shot because it’s in my face. I was like, this is not happening. I just needed to get it out of the way, put the business bun up and just get to business.”
– Serena Williams on tying up her unruly hair in her quarter-final against Alison Riske which came to be known as the ‘business bun’
“I had planned to be in Ibiza right now. We had everything organised already. My friends, six of them, are all there. Well, it feels better to be here in London.”
– Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut on reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals
WIth AFP Inputs
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