“I had a Skoda, but after Wimbledon, I changed to BMW.”
“I’m the sort of person who loves being at home.”
“Quiet is definitely not how I would describe New York, but if I go outside of the front door, I see the beautiful Central Park, so it’s a nice place to be. And I have a very quiet room, which helps!”
“I like the big matches against the greatest players.”
“I know it’s just sport; it’s just tennis.”
“Of course it’s one of my goals to win another grand slam. Wimbledon was great – so if it’s Wimbledon again, that’s fine – but I think I have the game to win the other grand slams as well.”
“I think everything bad that happens can be good in a way, if you’re thinking about it after a while.”
“I was always a player who has ups and downs. I could play unbelievable, and I could lose to someone.”
“My dream is to have a medal from the Olympic Games, and I will do my best to have it.”
“I like normal clothes, jeans, and t-shirt. Sometimes a dress.”
“When I was a baby, I was on a tennis court every day with my mom and with my brothers, so I would pick up the balls for them when they’d play, and then sometimes I’d play with them, but not very often.”
“I’m not really a person that needs to make a lot of money. The money is great for an easy life, but at the same time, it’s not very important.”
“Now I don’t have a coach; I’m just by myself. I’m enjoying this change, and I hope it will help my game.”
“I’m not the sort of person who would want to just lie on the sofa watching TV.”
“One thing I always do is listen to my iPod. I listen to whatever is kind of new on the radio, I am always downloading stuff.”
“You can feel up, you can feel down, and you have to keep your emotions kind of somewhere to be focused on the next ball.”
“I’m glad that I can play the tennis that I always wish to play.”
“Winning two Wimbledons is very nice, no matter what.”
“I’m always nice.”
“I like a kind of quiet place – Wimbledon Village, for example.”
“China’s a lucky place for me!”
“I think, for me, it has been important to remain ‘Petra from Fulnek.’”
“I found out how I missed tennis through the period I didn’t play. It was a difficult time to watch girls playing on the TV, me sitting on the sofa with the hand in a splint. I find out then how I love this sport.”
“I think the U.S. Open just doesn’t suit my personality. I’m more of a calm person. There, it’s noisy all day, cars are everywhere, and it takes so long to get to the site. I know that those things shouldn’t matter when you’re playing, but I just find they drain your energy.”
“Women’s tennis is very open. You really never know who going to be there.”
“Wimbledon feels like my second home.”
“I got my calmness from my mum.”
“I still like sweets and sometimes treat myself but not often. I try to keep an eye on it, but it’s not like I’m desperate to go and eat a whole chocolate cake! I do like a bit of vanilla ice cream, though.”
“I think English is very important for tennis players. To be on the tour, it’s much more easier if you speak English. So that’s why I knew that I have to improve my English.”
“It means a lot; I always love to represent my country, and it’s an honor to be part of the Olympics and be with other athletes.”
“Maybe sometimes I don’t look like that I’m really enjoying being on the court and playing tennis, but inside, I’m really enjoying it.”
“I’m going to try to put less pressure on myself, but I know how easy it is to say that rather than to feel it, but that’s how it is.”
“I don’t want to change; I just want to be like everyone else. I’m nothing special.”
“During Wimbledon, I ate only rice and pineapple. My coach cooked for me. He made sweet rice.”
“It’s very challenging to get the right balance between relaxing and working.”
“I’m not really the kind of person that wanted this kind of big attention everywhere. But on the other side, I’m glad that children are picking up a racket and they have an idol in myself.”
“You always have best memories when you win a title somewhere.”
“It’s tennis. I’m still human. I’m not a robot.”
“I am a simple girl from a simple background, and I think fans have appreciated my authenticity. What you see is definitely what you get with me.”
“I don’t pretend to be any different just because I win tennis matches, so hopefully brands appreciate my approach and my likeability, because it’s who I am.”
“The most important thing is definitely success on the tennis court. I know that if I win matches, everything else will fall into place, and the money and sponsors will follow.”
“Times changed a lot, off court and on court.”
“Sometimes I put too much pressure on my back.”
“I started playing tennis when I was 4 or 5 years old.”
“There’s things in the life that should be more important than just tennis.”
“I want to have better results at the Grand Slams, and of course, one day I want to be No. 1 in the world.”
“I’m not someone who enjoys being recognised too much.”
“I’ve always tried to be the same person I was before I won Wimbledon, but it has been very difficult.”
“Since I’m playing so many matches, I just need to rest. Every nap, it’s very welcoming.”
“I think it’s a long-time process when you are trying to get fitter and fitter.”
“It is always pressure out there when you are favourite for the match.”
“I couldn’t imagine myself retiring from a match.”
“I think, of course, when you are coming somewhere, when you know you are playing good tennis, it always helps you.”
“We should all know what we are putting into our body.”
“Everybody really can beat everyone from the top, so it’s really difficult to stay on the top.”
“I love to play finals. I love to play on the big stadium.”
“It’s nice to be No. 1, for sure.”
“The Connecticut Open is one of my favorite events in the summer, so it feels great to have it confirmed on my calendar. I have a special relationship with the tournament and always feel such strong support when I’m on the court there.”
“I’m really trying to be relaxed on my days off.”
“Even in the heat, I’m able to be there and run and fight, no matter what is happening.”
“I’m really happy to be back on the court to play tennis, to really do what I love.”
“Serena is one of the players you can really beat, but not every day.”
“A lot of athletes want to have a break, but they don’t do it.”
“It was a pleasure to share the court with Serena; she’s such a champion.”
“It wasn’t very easy getting used to being famous. Everybody stared at me in the supermarket and on the street. I think my life changed, for sure.”
“I think I was born with this aggressive game inside me.”
“Can I win Wimbledon? Well, why not?”
“I just don’t find New York as my favorite city, if I can say.”
“I spent 10 days on the beach and slept pretty much all day, every day. It was the perfect place to have a rest.”
“Like every normal working person, you get tired and need time out.”
“I was so empty. I didn’t always feel physically bad. I was able to play, but I wasn’t there 100%. I felt I was fighting this strange feeling rather than the opponent; I couldn’t really describe what was going on.”
“In my attempt to defend myself, I was badly injured on my left hand. I am shaken but fortunate to be alive.”
“I’ve always been a person who likes to take care of myself, but there is so much to do behind the scenes, and I love to just focus on the tennis.”
“Living out of a bag, in hotels, packing, unpacking, travelling, the hours of flying, sometimes the credit card doesn’t work at the hotel, or the room isn’t ready – I’m lucky to have a team around to help me.”
“If I had to choose between a third Wimbledon title and the number one ranking, I would choose Wimbledon. The ranking just shows how you’re doing in the year, so I think the Slams are first, and it shows in the number anyway.”
“I’m not a good cook, unfortunately. I’ve tried a few times, but I don’t like it too much.”
“Obviously, diet is important for an athlete, but I don’t have anyone telling me, ‘You can eat this, but don’t try that.’”
“There’s nothing crazy about my diet but no fried meals, nothing fatty, and not much meat.”
“I don’t do any exercises when flying but use compression socks and spend as much time as possible lying down. I try not to eat much – I’m not a fan of airplane food; everything is just so weird.”
“I like to watch movies – I just saw the documentary about Amy Winehouse, which was very good and emotional.”
“There is always a lot of work going on behind the scenes at a tournament, and that’s even more true at the WTA Finals, where we have many activities during the day, and you really have to set everything up.”
“It is for sure a big part of the coach’s job to make sure the tennis does not get neglected.”
“Winning Wimbledon in 2011 was a bit of a surprise for everyone, including me. It was like I was in a dream, and I didn’t realise what it meant.”
“To win a Grand Slam, you have to win seven matches in a row, and it’s very different physically and mentally from other tournaments.”
“When you enter the gates of the All England Club, you can feel the history of tennis.”
“I spend a lot of my time packing. It’s a routine, and I know what I need, but I still like to make a list beforehand and usually pack in the afternoon, as I prefer to rest the evening before travelling.”
“I have six racquets and usually two pairs of tennis shoes with me. Most of the time, the shoes can last two or three weeks if I’m playing all the week. I’m not the kind of player who slides a lot, so I just need one extra pair in my bag.”
“In Madrid, the conditions are always better for me. It suits my game: fast clay, high altitude, the balls fly really well.”
“When I was younger, I used to think ahead too much, and that would make me lose concentration in the match I was playing.”
“I can tell you that tennis is a huge motivation for me.”
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