Nadal trounces Ferrer 6-2 6-2 6-1 to claim his slot in the final. Sharapova attempts a career Grand Slam against Errani. Djokovic downs Federer 6-4 7-5 6-3 to seek a ‘Nole Slam’ in the final against Nadal. But is the Spaniard unbeatable at RG?
Here’s what the players had to say in anticipation of the final days of the French:
QUOTEBOOK:
DJOKOVIC ON ‘THE BEST I CAN DO’: “Today was a very important moment for me. I played even better. It’s very important before I play against Nadal. It’s the first time I’m going to be with him in the finals here in Paris. I hope I’m going to play a good match again, and that the level I’ll play will be high. That’s the best can I do at this moment.”
MCENROE ON DJOKOVIC: Novak I think is really feeling the pressure like he did last year. It’s impossible not to feel that because he’s so close.
FEDERER’S WASTED OPPORTUNITIES: “[Reaching the] semifinals is, at the end of the day, very good result for any tennis player. For me, too. I wish I could have done a bit better today, especially with the wasted opportunities. But that’s how it goes sometimes. I’ve got to go, you know, change things around now for grass anyway. I’m looking forward to that. It’s been a difficult clay court season. I wasn’t in the best shape physically, to be quite honest.”
NADAL ON ‘ALMOST PERFECT’: “Sometimes you feel great. Seems like everything is going in your favor. Sometimes you feel the opposite. But the reason is I am playing well since the beginning of the season. I am having almost perfect clay court season, and we’ll see what’s going on in the final. It’s gonna be a very tough match, and doesn’t matter what’s happened during all the tournament.”
NADAL ON COOKING: “You know, you constantly learn new things. You have to remember a number of things, a number of ingredients. Sometimes you might lose some of these ingredients.”
NAVRATILOVA ON NADAL: “Well, the only time he lost was on two bad knees and a lot of stuff going on in his personal life –– or I should say his parents’ personal life. That’s the only time he lost here. He hasn’t even lost a set. Last year it took him a while to get used to the lighter balls, but this year he just hIT the ground running and hasn’t lost a set on clay all year. What can you say? He’s amazing.”
NADAL’S ATTITUDE: “I’m highly motivated; otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I’m really happy. You can’t save a country if you’re not motivated enough, if you haven’t got enough energy. So I’m really very happy and looking forward to the finals.”
SHARAPOVA ON FIRSTS: “Well, it will be special, my first Roland Garros final. Not many firsts in my career, as I have been a part of many tournaments and fortunate enough to win many. So to be in this situation is going to be quite new, but it’s something I’ve dreamed of for a long time. I’m very looking forward to it.”
SHARAPOVA ON PRESSURE: “Obviously it’s a big moment for anyone––I mean, pressure is always part of the game. It has to be. If you don’t feel anything then, you know, maybe you’re not so normal.”
SHARAPOVA’S HORSE BLINDERS: “I’ve always said nothing really bothered me, the situation, the atmosphere, my first final, my opponent. It didn’t phase me, really. You know, I went out there with a really clear head and I had horse blinders on. I went out to try to do my job and tried to do it well.”
SHARAPOVA ON ROUTINE: “I think it’s always nice to have a routine. I have always had my own, you know, little routine during the matches since I was very young. I’ve kind of stuck to it, win or lose. The moments that I take before each point is mainly just to have like a moment sort of within yourself and not let anything kind of ‑‑ you know, if you really think about things, you’re playing in front of thousands of people. Maybe you’re in a situation where you’re not playing the best tennis. Sometimes I feel like it just gives me a moment to kind of zone in and think about what I want to do, what I want to keep doing, and just concentrate and focus. You know, over a time of whether it’s an hour or three hours during a match, you know, it’s tough to keep a high level of focus at times. You know, you’re going to have a few dips here and there. But if you can kind of come back from that, I always take that time to sort of go ‑‑ you know, to try to do that and try to stay on that high level as much as possible.”
SHARAPOVA ON ERRANI: “We have never played against each other, but I certainly know she’s a dangerous player because of the way she’s played here and because of the way she’s performed on clay this year. She’s won so many titles already on clay, and these last couple of weeks she’s really been improving beating great players and is really confident, and that’s obviously a dangerous opponent.”
NAVRATILOVA ON ERRANI: “She’s hits all the right shots. Sara Errani has great shot selection. She plays so well within herself, doesn’t go for too much.”
