HE SAID/SHE SAID: Wimbledon Day 2

Q. You've been here a long time now. At one point you were the bad guy upsetting Tim Henman.

ANDY RODDICK: Actually, I never played Tim Henman here. But I'm still the bad guy. Point taken, but... (Laughter.)

Q. Do you feel you're a popular guy with the locals now?

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. You know, I think a lot changes over the course of 10 or 11 years. You almost look and say nothing's really the same, as it was.

There's a lot of stuff that changes. It's tough for me to kind of look at my relationship with the fans here objectively.

I know from my end I certainly enjoy it. I'm not going to speak for them, for sure.

Q. You got good support today.

ANDY RODDICK: It felt great. They've always been great to me, even when I was fake beating Tim Henman (smiling).

Q. This is the first match you've won since your fiancee passed away. You've played three. Did it seem easier on the court? How were you feeling?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO: No, it's not easy for me. Every day I have some up and down in my life. Today I feeling a little bit more emotion for the starting the first set. I lost 3 0 for starting, and I tried to focus only on my tennis, on my balls.

It was not easy. I have some delay starting for the first set. It was the same in Birmingham two weeks ago. I was lost 4 0 and I come back 4 All and I lost 6 4 against Rodionova.

And today it was the same problem, 3 Love, and I say, Okay, now you must to be aggressive. You are here for to play, for you, and for Stéphane, for your husband.

If you on the court, it's for to have a reaction and to play your tennis. It's not easy, but I say, Okay, no, you must be to be aggressive and to play your tennis.
I come back at 3 All, and it was better to win the first set. Good reaction on me.

Q. Do you think it's better for you that you have the distraction of playing tennis right now?

VIRGINIE RAZZANO: It's good to win today. I don't know (translated from French) if it's relief for me, because when I go on the courts it's not easy for me. I play because it's my job and my passion and I must to continue.

It was good to win today because I have a lot of emotion on me when I go on the court to start the match. I try to, you know, think only positive and what I must do to play good and win today.

And it's okay. (Smiling.) I do my best, and it was good because I win. 

Q. You talked in Paris about having less pressure. I'm wondering if you feel differently now that you're on this surface, at this tournament, and also your performance in Paris? Do you feel like some of that has shifted back over to you?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think everybody was talking about less pressure just because of Novak and Rafa. That honestly had nothing to do with me. I think what gave me less pressure in Paris was for years I was always trying to win the French Open, and then finally I did make it, so then I came back as defending champion. Then you have more pressure. That was sort of the second year after I won it.

So I wasn't the defending champion. I wasn't chasing the French Open for the first time. I think that just made it that I had less pressure.

I definitely think also here it's somewhat similar. I can play with a bit less pressure, but at the same time I want to do so well here at Wimbledon because it's some of the big highlights for me during the season, and I've won the tournament six times.

So it feels like if things go well for me, I can go extremely far here; whereas at the French Open I feel it's a bit more on other opponents' racquets. But here I feel it's a bit more on mine. That's why I'll always play with some pressure here at Wimbledon just because of the occasion and what it means to me really. I was nervous going out in today's match really.

Q. Obviously your father is an incredible man. Comes to America, puts you on a bicycle taking you to the tennis lessons. How does he express the Russian culture with that determination?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I just think he never really believed that he didn't have much. I think coming from a place where that amount of money didn't exactly mean that you were poor. We were living as a normal family. They could have had a normal job and I could have gone to school and they would have supplied my school and everything around that. But they sacrificed their lives because they saw a talent in my game and they got recommendations from outer people, because it certainly wasn't my parents' expertise, the sort of tennis.

It was just a fun activity for my dad, and my mom couldn't really care less about it. They made that big decision to go to a country where tennis was a lot bigger, more facilities. It's tough. But I think his drive came from the fact that he never really thought that he didn't have much. Even though it was really tough, I think he kept believing that one day he would have more, even if it was one trophy, even if it was one more dollar, one victory over another, yeah.

Q. A little while ago you were the focus of all the talk in tennis. Today there's plenty of room to stretch out, not that much focus on you. Talk about this new stage. Do you enjoy having a breather, that not everyone is concentrating on you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's been a best winning streak, the longest that I've had in my career. And it's incredible, the amount of matches I have won in a row. It was definitely surprising for myself, as well. And, obviously, with the seven titles that I've won in a row, you know, I got more attention.

You know, it was easier this year for me to handle things on and off the court because I have gained the necessary experience in past couple years playing on the top level and knowing how to handle myself on the court, how to, you know, be dedicated every single day, and how to handle the attention that you have. It's kind of normal. It comes with the success.

So when this streak ended, you know, in Paris, it was kind of a relief as well because, you know, it's been a very, very successful five, six months for me, but very long as well and exhausting. I've played so many matches. So I needed some time to relax and I'm happy to see that I'm playing well again, you know, that I'm mentally really fresh to have more success.

Q. Congratulations on the win. How did you feel the game went today?

NA LI: It's tough, of course. I mean, opponent, beginning match she has huge, big serve, and also in grass she was playing more flat, you know. So I have to rally every second. And of course I never know what happens, which shot she'll hit next one.

Q. She seemed to run you back and forth a little bit.

NA LI: Yeah, I know. I hate that, you know. (Smiling.) I like it standing.

Q. Were you able to talk to Nicolas after the match?

JOHN ISNER: Just at the net.

Q. What did you say to him?

JOHN ISNER: I just said, Good match. He said, Hey, Buddy. I want to see you in the second week of this event. I said, Thank you.

[Photo(s) credit: Getty Images]

Virginie Razzano: "If I did this, it's for Stephane..."

It really is a testament to Virginie Razzano's strength and and courage that she was able to play her first round match at Roland Garros today while dealing with such personal pain. Her fiancé and coach, Stephane Vidal, died 8 days ago from a brain tumor. But, as she explained in a tearful post-match presser, she did it because it's what he would have wanted for her:

"If I did this, it’s for Stephane and for me, too, because it’s what he wanted. He wanted that I play, that I continue my life, even if circumstances like these are very, very difficult and painful. But he believes in me, he believes that I have this strength in me, and he had plenty of it, too. It’s why we were good together.”

Hopefully, she can now take some time away from the courts and surround herself with friends and family. Be well, Virginie.

[Photo(s): AFP PHOTO / THOMAS COEX]

Venus Williams blogs from Thailand, talks sleep and afros

(Is this kid really nervous or has he never seen an afro this close before?)

Venus Williams is continuing her tour of Asia with a stop at the Bangkok Open this week. After a disappointing loss to Frenchie Virginie Razzano in the Japan Open final, V will look to rebound in Thailand and solidify her chances at the year end Sony Ericsson Championships. Continuing her blogging ways, V had some things to say about...

Her loss in the Japan Open final:

"I was disappointed I lost in the Tokyo final, but you can always learn from your losses and fight for your next win. That's pretty much my attitude and so I'm just focused on playing my best here in Bangkok, and hopefully winning another title. That's the goal."

Her night out after the Japan final:

"After the final we just went out and enjoyed Tokyo. Obviously we went to karaoke, and obviously I did "Call Me" by Blondie - I'm a huge Blondie fan. I didn't last too long that night because I was so tired from the final. I had a few songs and that was it for me. I guess we're making going to karaoke a tradition when we're in Asia..."

Getting some sleep:

"We were travelling pretty much all day and I was sleeping quite a while. I even got mad at [sister] Isha because she woke me up asking if I wanted to eat. Everybody who knows me knows that I'd choose sleep over eating. Everybody's banging on my door, trying to get into my room. I think I'll be doing some of that back to them soon so they can see how it feels! So, I just don't answer the door. People can text or e-mail me, and if I'm not there I am not getting up. Even at home I don't answer my door. I need my sleep!"

Her latest hair-do:

"Oh and you may have noticed from the picture that I've switched hairdos - I just got tired of my old one. I've had the afro a few times this year in Fed Cup; and some people have been asking if I'd be doing it again. So for the moment, I'm in the '70s. And it's righteous."

(source)