Gulbis fan vid

I just made this video of Ernie, with funny clips from some of his interviews, so I hope people like it. Enjoy!

I like my Marin medium-rare

So it was the 1st day of Roland Garros today, and there were some mixed results. Marin Cilic beat Ricardo Mello 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-1, yay. But Vika Azarenka lost to Gisela Dulko 1-6 2-6, and then Ernests Gulbis had to retire against Julien Benneteau while down 4-6 2-6 0-1 with a hamstring injury. Luckily Jo-Wilfried Tsonga managed to beat Daniel Brands in a long match, 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-7 7-5. Jo is still 100% in 5 set matches - 3/3, all played this year. I really hope Ernie's injury isn't too serious and that he's okay for the grass court season, especially as he's at a career-high ranking of 27 at the moment and could potentially gain quite a lot of points at Wimbledon.

Earlier today Marin did an interview, which you can read here, in which he said if he was a main course he would be a filet mignon - medium-rare, but not too rare.

However there was one answer that could be a potential dealbreaker if, you know, Marin and me were ever to meet and hit it off (I wish!):

If you were a time of day?
Marin: 8am

Seeing as I'm a total night person, the only time I find it bearable to be awake at 8am is when I've been up from the night before!


Anyway, the match I'm most looking forward to tomorrow is of course Murray vs. Gasquet, I can't wait! They are playing on Suzanne Lenglen court, as will be Na, Nole and JJ. Oh how I wish I could be there! Gael is playing last on Phillippe Chatrier. Should be a very exciting day!

Rafa wins Madrid!

I am sooo happy Rafa won in Madrid today! He beat Federer 6-4 7-6. I got quite emotional right after he won. It's incredible that he's just broken the record for the most Masters Series with 18 titles, and he's only 23! It's so awesome that he could do it in his home country :) And he's the 1st person to win all 3 clay Masters in a season, and also I think the 1st person to win 3 consecutive Masters titles (although I'm not totally sure ;). Considering he also became the 1st person to win a tournament 6 consecutive times in Monte Carlo a few weeks ago, I'd say he's having a pretty good clay court season so far! Bring on RG!!! :D

Funny Andy Murray quote

Andy Murray talking about moving to Barcelona when he was a teenager:

"I didn't go for the tennis, I went to get away from my mum"

xD

This is just from an old interview on the radio from 2006 when Andy was talking to John McEnroe which I happen to be listening to atm! Andy's mum was there too :) You can listen to it here.

I'm gonna try and update this blog a bit more often, mainly with funny quotes, pics or videos!

Li Na is so awesome!

Q. This was a great day for China, for you two women. Where are the men? Where are the Chinese men?

NA LI: The Chinese men in China (laughter).

Q. It's the question we always ask. What are they doing in China, all these men?

NA LI: They still sleeping. They didn't wake up. I was waiting they wake up also, yeah (smiling).

Q. There are not as many interested among the men as the women, is that correct?

NA LI: No, they have many, many men player in China.

Q. They're not of world class. You're a world‑class player.

NA LI: They're still sleep. They didn't wake up. Someday they will wake up.

Pressers from the AO

I love reading press conferences when they are funny! Nikolay Davydenko's ones this week have been pretty good, and here is some other funny stuff from the last few days:

Zheng Jie

Q. Is it easy to work with your husband as a coach?

JIE ZHENG: Yeah, he is my coach. But now I have another two new coach. One from America. He teach me a lot just for serve. Another one from China also.

Q. I didn't understand. Two other husbands or two other coaches?

JIE ZHENG: Two other coach (smiling).

Q. Very strong with the women [in Chinese tennis], but there are no men.

JIE ZHENG: Yeah, is hard question. (Smiling.) Everybody want know.

Q. Do you know why?

JIE ZHENG: Maybe men need more hard working. I don't know. (Laughter.)

Andy Murray

Q. When you talk with your team after a win like tonight, do you smile more? Do you have a voice which sounds more happy than now? Now you talk almost like you lost.

ANDY MURRAY: Have you ever sat in this seat before? I mean, last year I played 80 odd matches and we do a press conference after every single match. We do one before every tournament. More for other bits and pieces.

Q. It's very boring.

ANDY MURRAY: Well, I don't know (smiling). You just get used to doing it. I don't get excited about doing them anymore.

THE MODERATOR: That's lucky because this one's over.

Marin Cilic

Q. Why are you playing such good tennis?

MARIN CILIC: 'Cause I'm a good player (smiling).

Li Na

Q. Why were you better than Caroline?

NA LI: Maybe I eat Chinese food. (Laughter.)

Q. You mentioned after I think your last opponent in round three that you went to Chinatown and you had some spicy Chinese food that hurt your stomach. It tasted great, but made you a little bit sick. Have you been back to the same restaurant? What are you doing now?

NA LI: Actually I was eat two days in a row in Chinese. If I feeling stomach was a little bit uncomfortable I would go Korea. And then feeling better, I go back Chinese food again. (Laughing.)

Yeah, I mean, I love Chinese food, so I was ‑‑ around of the world I always found Chinese restaurant. Yeah. I mean, good for my stomach. I know sometimes bad, but I still love it.

Q. Is it Korean or Chinese tonight?

NA LI: Because yesterday was Korea, so maybe today I go Chinese. (Laughter.) Yeah.

Funny interviews from the AO!

There's a show on Eurosport every day during the Australian Open called 'Game, Set and Mats' with Mats Wilander and Annabel Croft talking about the tournament. There's a feature on it called 'Babs Undercover' with Barbara Schett doing random funny stuff around the grounds, and on yesterday's feature she interviewed players with different questions than usual to see what their reactions would be like. I don't know if anyone will put the episodes up on youtube sometime but for now I transcribed the interviews with the players!

Here they are:

Dinara Safina

Dinara: Today, I think, was quite solid game from my side
Barbara: (touching teeth) Sorry, I've got something in my tooth. Do I have something in there?
D: (looks seriously) No
B: Just in the middle there
D: No
B: Are you sure? It's really bothering me when I talk
D: (laughing now) No, nothing
B: Is there nothing?
D: No (laughing)
B: Okay, dont worry, I'll give it another try


Alona Bondarenko

Barbara: Congratulations, Kateryna, you've -
Alona: Alona
B: Ah is it Alona?
A: Yeah
B: Oh I'm sorry, I mixed you up, so stupid
(Kateryna is standing near them and smiles)
B: And what about your sister Alona, is she happy that you won?
A: Yeah, she's happy for me, it's first time I won 3rd round, yeah she's happy
B: Alona or Kateryna?
A: Kateryna
B: (points at Kateryna) Kateryna, (points at Alona) Alona, it's so confusing, unbelievable
A: (points at Kateryna) She's there
(Kateryna laughs and waves at camera)


Maria Kirilenko

Barbara: I also heard that you actually got offered a role in the new James Bond movie as a Bond girl? True?
Maria: (looks confused) No but I mean we have different surname actually. My surname is Kirilenko and her name is Kurylenko I think
B: The girl who played in the last James Bond movie?
M: Yes
B: But I heard that you got offered a role in the next one? Have you not heard that?
M: (still looking confused) No (laughs)
B: Would you like that?
M: I mean it's nice of course to get... (laughs) It's just a joke?
B: Yes
(both laugh)


Fernando Gonzalez

Barbara: Something completely different, I read in the newspaper that you got voted to the sexiest man in Chile, is that true?
Fernando: Oh really? I don't know, thanks. But I didn't know (laughs)
B: You didn't know about that?
F: I didn't know
B: But you're huge there, everybody must know
F: Maybe it was in my website
B: Well done, congrats. Thank you, thanks so much
F: (laughs) Thanks. Is that true?
B: No
(both laugh)