HE SAID/SHE SAID: US Open Days One + Two

DAY 1

Q. Do you think people were attracted to you, to your game, because you took such risks, in the [Roland Garros] final, especially?

FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think they attract -- I attract them because I'm beautiful. (Laughter.) No, you have to ask to them why they come to watch me, but I'm really happy. And today when I see the stadium not full but with many people, I was really, really happy.

Q. Serena obviously stepped in at the last minute to play that incredible exhibition in Belgium. Did she say anything to you before or after the match about her injury?

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, no. We also did a press conference together. No, I mean, they asked her about it, so no. I obviously saw her injury, but I didn't get the explanation.

Q. Have you been surprised about the severity, how severe it's turned out to be?

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, because I saw -- I saw the injury, so -- and it's not something that she's making up or that it's a small cut or anything.

Q. Is it on the bottom of the foot or the top of the foot?

KIM CLIJSTERS: Both, both feet.

Q. On both feet?

KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah.

Q. Was it on the bottom of the foot or the top of the foot?

KIM CLIJSTERS: Um, I don't remember. I wasn't paying such close attention.

Q. Well, if you don't remember whether it was on the bottom or the top...

KIM CLIJSTERS: No.

Q. In terms of trick shots, there's been a lot of skepticism about the YouTube video.

ROGER FEDERER: Criticism?

Q. Skepticism.

ROGER FEDERER: There's a difference.

Q. Some doubt that it's real.

ROGER FEDERER: They're not sure, those guys? They don't dare to try it (smiling).
One thing I tell you, that the shots on center court in front of 22,000 people is a bit more difficult than what I did at the Gillette commercial. That was just having a bit more fun.

No, I can't tell you if it's real or not. That's up for debate. Still up to debate, you know. I'm not going to answer that question.

Q. Could you hit one between your legs and knock the can off someone's head?

ROGER FEDERER: That's kind of tough, the trajectory going up. You can feel like the nose and everything being hit first. No, I wouldn't be able to do that.

Q. Do you still have a place in New York?

ANDY RODDICK: Yes.

Q. Do you spend a lot of time here or...

ANDY RODDICK: No. I mean, my home is Texas. You know, my wife is probably here more than I am. Yeah.

Q. Do you feel more like a New Yorker now than maybe three or four years ago?

ANDY RODDICK: I certainly pay enough taxes for it. (Laughter.) So, yeah, that buys me... I don't know. I mean, it is nice having a place here and having a kind of quasi home. I always feel comfortable here in New York even when I didn't have a place. I stayed at the same hotel and everything for years and years and years and years, so I don't mind New York. People tell you what they think, and I've always kind of appreciated that.

Q. Seems like you have switched your racquet to a new model. I don't know if that gives you a reason you play good or not. Does it suit your play style?

ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, I did. Actually funny thing is did change just before Cincinnati, and I really like the new racquet and the new model Yonex put out. It's really helped my game a lot, especially in the end range. But I think it's combined with all the hard work. 

And just, you know, like I said, it's been hard, because in Stanford and San Diego I really felt like I was playing good and I was moving well on the court. But it was just little bits and pieces missing in the most important moments. It's been very frustrating. But then a few matches, a few victories in Cincinnati did help my confidence. Maybe that's something I needed, you know, to be more relaxed and for things to come together. But one way or another, I'm just happy it's happening.

Q. If Serena were here, even with your knee, would you definitely have played doubles?

VENUS WILLIAMS: I don't know. It's so hard not to play. I always play. It's really hard. Especially at Wimbledon when we didn't win, I realized how much I loved winning the doubles. I think for a while we both took it a little bit for granted that, Oh, we could win the doubles. 

It's not easy winning it. Committing to playing the singles and doubles and playing all those matches so... I think I'll never take it for granted again, not winning Wimbledon, not being able to play here. Just when you win the majors, they say your name, She has 22 whatever. I like that. I want to keep adding those numbers, singles, doubles, mixed. It all goes down next to my name. I'd like to keep that happening. Would I have tried to play? Yeah, probably.

Q. Will it make it better for your knee that you're not playing doubles?

VENUS WILLIAMS: Absolutely.

DAY 2

Q. You have the Cyprus emblem on your clothes right now. Can you explain why that is?

MARCOS BAGHDATIS: Because I have no sponsor, so I just want to put my country.

Q. Is it the office of tourism?

MARCOS BAGHDATIS: No, no sponsor. It's not a sponsor, it's because I want to put it.

Q. How long have you been without a sponsor?

MARCOS BAGHDATIS: A year since January.

Q. Who makes the clothes?

MARCOS BAGHDATIS: My mom. I buy them from Technifibre and my mom puts the flags on them.

Q. Could be very troublesome serving. What goes through your mind when you toss the ball up to serve these days? Trying to think of some sort of image that I could describe as you're staring down a break opportunity for her, she's swinging at the ball, you hit some great second serves in the match.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: You're making this a little way too dramatic for what it was. It's like a Shakespeare poem. No, you focus on what you need to do. You think of the patterns. You think of where you're gonna serve, things like that. I mean, it's not really complicated. You just have to do it.

Q. Did you see the replay or the actual live shot of [Federer's] tween the legs shot last night?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I've seen it live last year passing next to me (smiling). That's enough traumatic experiences for me. Today when Viktor tried to do the same thing, I said, No, no, please. He was running for the ball between the legs. Please miss it. Please don't embarrass me again.

Q. When it happened last year, did you see the moments of your lives pass...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: They keep on repeating that. I mean, it's amazing shot. Just incredible. At that stage, as well. It was the last game. You know, once in a while you get that shot.

Q. It had a lot of zip on it. It wasn't just putting it back in play.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I got to the net. I did what my coach wanted me to do: covered the long line. I was just standing there, following the ball. Okay. Everybody applause. I applause.

Q. As somebody who does very good imitations, is that something you can imitate?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, definitely not. I am not as good as he is in that. I'd like to be very careful with my racquet (smiling). You know what I mean.

Q. You made a comment about sleeping with your girlfriend out on the court. What was that analogy to?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. He asked me for the comparison of the feeling, what kind of feeling was it to feel the shade. The sun came down and I didn't have any more heat, what kind of feeling was it. It just came up to me. It's one of the best feelings, I guess, when you're sleeping with your close one. So I compare it to that.

Q. Must have felt good.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It felt unbelievable (smiling). Let's get back to tennis now (laughter).

Q. Are you as comfortable at this Grand Slam as you are at the others?

RAFAEL NADAL: Is the more difficult for me, especially I think because the ball. The ball is the more difficult thing for me because the ball I think is more easy to play that ball for the players when they have the flat shots, no? That's much easier for them than for the topspin players. That's the only thing.

But I won Olympics with this ball. I won in Beijing in 2005 with this ball. I can do it.

Q. You're about ready to unveil your new, big, flat forehand?

RAFAEL NADAL: That's almost impossible. The thing is play with topspin, but play very aggressive all the time, play with very high rhythm. That's the way.

Q. There's a doubles player here who is playing with a two handled racquet.

RAFAEL NADAL: I met him.

Q. Does that strike you as crazy?

RAFAEL NADAL: For me, yes (smiling). For me, yes. For me is no reason to play like this, yeah. Is add the complication on the game, you know.

[Photo(s): Getty Images]