“If I win, it’s nice. But even if I don’t win, I will keep smiling.”
“If you have fun, if you enjoy life, I think that’s the most important thing. And if I have that, and I am No. 1 in the world, looks like everything is good.”
“I can play against anyone; I can win against anyone.”
“I take every day like a big challenge.”
“For myself and my attitude, I have, every day, to work on it.”
“I finished three years ranked No. 1, so the ranking doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Every tournament is important.”
“The opponent has the chance to win the match, and I have a chance to win the match. It’s open, and I have just to do everything I can there.”
“I feel like the people realize that if you don’t give up, if you work, keep working on what you have less good, you can be able to realize your dream.”
“I received a lot from tennis, so it’s good to help others because it’s very difficult. Many talented kids get lost because they don’t have the money. Tennis is an expensive sport in Romania.”
“I was very introverted. I am still an introvert.”
“I have had to learn and to understand that sometimes I can’t be always be at my best.”
“In my opinion, to be No. 1 in the world and to be the best player in the world, it’s a little bit different.”
“When I was young, I knew that I would be a short girl, not very tall.”
“I’m trying not to focus on the height of my opponent, just to play my tennis and to open the angles because it’s the most important.”
“When you play the Grand Slam, you have just to give everything you have.”
“I prefer the Grand Slam than the No. 1, but still, to get No. 1, not many players did that, so it’s going to be very important for me.”
“I don’t feel pressure anymore in the negative way.”
“I set some goals: little goals first and then the big ones. I stopped thinking about big achievements.”
“It’s really tough when you have back injury because you cannot bend; you cannot react at the balls.”
“When you start the match, you forget that you are No. 1, you have all the titles. You just have the battle ahead in front of you.”
“Even when you are there on top, you feel the same nerves.”
“I feel thankful for everything I achieved.”
“Always I say, ‘No. 1 in the world without a Grand Slam, you are not a real No. 1.’”
“My challenge is to win every match I play.”
“It’s difficult to keep going the good results, to feel good every tournament, every year in row.”
“For sure, I need a coach, because at this level, you cannot do it alone.”
“I play tennis because I like it.”
“Being No. 1 is great, but it is even better to win a Grand Slam.”
“My psychologist told me I have to control my emotions and be more positive. She’s taught me to stop the negative thoughts during the matches with some exercises. That’s helped me make an improvement.”
“My problem is that I’m negative – I come from Romania. Romanians are a little bit negative in thinking. Everyone knows that. That’s normal here.”
“It’s tough to play with an injury.”
“I’m not very strong.”
“Always it’s like big challenge for me. Every point is a big challenge. So I do everything I can.”
“I just want to be perfect on court, but is not possible. The perfect doesn’t exist.”
“I don’t have big muscles.”
“I’m not tall.”
“I have power inside. I fight.”
“I feel that I can face any challenge.”
“I just want to be quiet wherever I go, not seeing people, not facing more pressure, because every time now I go home, I will have so many people waiting for me.”
“I’ve tried to learn something from other players and how they are really focused on the Grand Slams. I couldn’t do that in the past.”
“For me, every tournament is important, and I feel that if I don’t go into them with 100 per cent focus, I will not be ready for the Grand Slams.”
“I think to give everything I have on court is the best thing to do to win tournaments.”
“It’s not easy to serve, because I’m not that tall, but I’m trying to be more consistent and to deliver heavier serves.”
“I’ve learned that I have to be more aggressive in that position, when I’m leading the match.”
“I feel that everything I dreamed of became reality. I feel like nothing is on my shoulders any more.”
“Because I’ve won one Grand Slam title, I feel like I have a good chance to win more.”
“I’ve always said that winning a Grand Slam title is what is most important.”
“If you get to No 1, people say, ‘But you didn’t win a Grand Slam.’ You cannot win, because you can say the same the other way round. In my opinion, both are really important. If you want to finish your career really happy with what you did, you have to win both.”
“It’s great, and it’s nice to have that feeling when you go home, all the people are supporting you. Of course, there are some people that are talking bad things, but it’s normal, and I take them like positives, because not all the people can like me, so it’s OK.”
“It’s nice I inspire the kids. tThat’s the most important thing, and more people are now playing tennis, even for fun. That’s great.”
“Of course I cannot win all the matches, but just to play my game.”
“I am very normal, and I keep all the things that I have since many years ago.”
“The most important thing is how you are as a person, and then like a professional person.”
“My father was a footballer. I used to play a lot as a kid, but not like a team or something, just with my family having fun. It makes your legs stronger and helps your co-ordination.”
“I had many attempts to become No. 1, and it was really tough mentally to keep believing that it would happen one day, but then it was really tough to stay there because I felt the pressure at every tournament.”
“In my opinion, it’s better to be alone out there, having to decide on your tactics during the matches. I would prefer it if it was just me and my opponent having to solve the problems out there on the court.”
“To give birth is the most beautiful thing in the world.”
“I give myself little presents all the time. But I don’t do extravagant things.”
“I love Paris, just to stay there and visit. Maybe I’ll live there one day.”
“I’m pretty realistic. I cannot wish to be Chris Evert or Martina Navratilova because they won, like, a hundred Grand Slams.”
“I can honestly say that every time I go on court, I see the opponent in a competitive way, but not a rival.”
“It’s tough to think before a tournament that you can win.”
“It’s my dream to win a grand slam title.”
“When Serena is number one, its hard to think of being number one.”
“I am showing my emotions sometimes, and I can’t help it. That’s the way I am.”
“I love the game, and I do not feel that I have sacrificed anything. On the contrary, I feel privileged to do something that I love.”
“Every time I lose a final, I am disappointed.”
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