Champion: Angelique Kerber embraces Serena Williams © AFP/File / Oli SCARFF
LONDON, United Kingdom, Jul 16 – Wimbledon came to an end on Sunday, with Novak Djokovic winning the men’s singles after Angelique Kerber was crowned women’s champion on Saturday.
Here AFP Sport looks at 15 of the best quotes from a dramatic fortnight at the All England Club:
“Wind player? I’m coming from Kiel. It’s always windy there.”
— Angelique Kerber on whether she considers herself a good “wind player”.
“I hope this is a sign for Grand Slams to change. For us to be out there for that length of time. I really hope we can look at this, because at the end you don’t feel great.”
— Kevin Anderson after surviving the second longest singles match in Grand Slam history to beat John Isner in the semi-finals — 6 hours and 36 minutes.
“After each win throughout these 10 days, I’ve had a KitKat. I’m not going to change that now.”
— John Isner on his good luck charm in reaching a first Grand Slam semi-final at Wimbledon
“It’s crazy. I had a really tough delivery and multiple surgeries and almost didn’t make it to be honest. I couldn’t even walk to my mailbox, so it’s definitely not normal for me to be in a Wimbledon final.”
— Serena Williams on her long road back after giving birth to her daughter in September and the complications which followed.
Champion: Novak Djokovic © AFP / Glyn KIRK
“If I show you my feet, you would understand.”
— Novak Djokovic on the physical challenge of playing Nadal
“Maybe you should ask the questions over in Russia, how they’re going to feel about Wimbledon being played at the same time.”
— Roger Federer on the clash on Sunday between the World Cup final and the Wimbledon men’s singles final.
“This year, I was trying to enjoy, not just tennis, but life, the food like strawberries and cream, the burgers and lobster, all the shops. When you play singles and doubles, I need to find tiny time to run out to get all these foods.”
— Hsieh Su-Wei after her shock win over world number one Simona Halep
“I’d fight a bear for you. Not a grizzly bear. Or a brown bear. Or a panda bear. But maybe like a Care Bear? Yea, I’d fight one of those.”
— Bethanie Mattek-Sands to her doubles partner Lucie Safarova
“Unbelievable. Like, crazy. Crazy. Like, crazy. I was scared to have my phone. It was jumping, screaming. Everything. Beers, everything. Was great, great.”
— French star Gael Monfils got caught up in the excitement and drama of England’s World Cup victory over Colombia while watching the penalty shootout in a London pub.
“I make a mistake, I put my shorts the other way. You cannot force me to change my shorts in front of everybody. For me, that’s not respectful.”
— Rafael Nadal on shorts removal etiquette.
“Your coach is a piece of shit. By the way.”
— A gracious Jack Sock congratulates Italy’s victorious Matteo Berrettini at the net
“They’re in my mouth and in my hair and everywhere — we need to do something. Is there a spray?. I want to be here to focus on tennis, not eating bugs,”
— Caroline Wozniacki after a mid-match invasion of flying ants.
“That’s been a problem at every tournament, that players are too lazy to pick up their water bottles, myself included. Towels and balls. We’re professional tennis players, we should obviously look after our rubbish.”
— Kyle Edmund on the dirty side of the game.
“Remember when you were 25 and went out all night and mixed cocktails all night, and the hangover after that? Compare that to when you’re 35. That hangover lasts two days all of a sudden instead of one day.”
— Sweden’s Robert Lindstedt, 41, on the challenges of keeping going in his 40s.
“Incredibly sexy.”
— Federer jokes with a reporter who asked him how he was feeling this year.
