HE SAID/SHE SAID: Wimbledon Day Seven

Q. What were the emotions like for you after the match? You won, sat down in your chair. What was going through your mind after the victory?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Yeah, I mean, for me, because I really thankful for my family. Also because I'm really upset because my father's already pass away. I make this result. I'm really proud myself to share this victory with him in the sky. I hope he see this match.

So in that moment, I just sit and tell myself, I done it. I done for my father. I done for myself also. I done for all the people support me, yeah.

Q. May we ask when your father passed away?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Is 2000, when I turned professional, that year.

Q. I was reading the introduction to your book. You were talking about how you were more or less taught if you lose to put it behind you and look forward. A lot of people in your book reflect on how much they learn from losing. Can you reflect a little bit on that.

VENUS WILLIAMS: Exactly. I think as a professional tennis player, I'm in a lot of matches. The way I felt like is I hate hanging on to that feeling when you lose, so I try to put that feeling behind. Learn from the loss, but not hang on to the bad feeling of losing.

So I put that behind me, because I'm a little bit older, a little more mature. That's kind of been my motto the last few years; to learn from it but not hang on to it.

Q. It's more the feelings?

VENUS WILLIAMS: More the feelings. Like let it go, move on, you didn't win this one, you'll get the next one. Be positive, learn from it.

Q. You're a Swede in the last eight at Wimbledon. That will excite a lot of people. What are your memories of the Swedes that came before you at Wimbledon?

ROBIN SODERLING: I remember when I was a kid, you know, I was watching Edberg playing against Becker in the finals. I always loved to watch the bigger tournaments, especially Wimbledon, such an old tournament with a lot of tradition.

So it's nice to be in the eight in this one.

Q. When you were growing up, which Grand Slam did you dream of winning?

ROBIN SODERLING: All of them. (Laughter.) Many times.

No, of course I think, for me, Wimbledon is the biggest one. Even though, you know, if I had to pick one I really wanted to win, I would pick Wimbledon.

But it would be okay to win French and US Open as well.

Q. We're accustomed to having fireworks and drama when you [and Justine Henin] have met. What was different, if anything, today for you mentally as you got into the third set?

KIM CLIJSTERS: I mean, obviously you evolve in that match. Obviously, in the beginning, you know, yeah, like I said, I had to look for a detail to change it around. You try to obviously hang in there every time.

She made a couple of, you know, unforced errors, and that's what made me win a few easier service games. Automatically mentally you grow into the match.

I think it's not just one thing that makes you make that switch. It's gradually you make ‑‑ you know, you read the game better and start to feel more comfortable out there. So, yeah. I mean, I was happy to get through there in the end. I played really good tennis in that second and third set.

Q. So tomorrow when you wake up, you think you're going to be pissed off, disappointed?

ANDY RODDICK: I'm going to be thrilled. I mean, c'mon.

Q. You've been through these slams before.

ANDY RODDICK: And it never gets easier. Of course I'm going to be pissed off when I wake up tomorrow. I mean, if you got fired from your job, you probably wouldn't wake up the next day in a great mood. I mean, c'mon, let's go. We're better than those questions.

Q. Your necklace today, the pendant, is it a copy of the Rosewater Dish?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, that's what my physio asked me. Honestly, I wish I could sit here and say it's my design, but it's not.

I came here necklace‑less, if that's a word. I didn't have a necklace. I borrowed this from Venus. Seeing how many times she won Wimbledon, it probably is something about the trophy.

Q. Is it a copy of the trophy?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I have to ask her. It's not mine. It's on loan.

Q. Is it bringing you luck?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I hope so. She's always winning here. I'm serving uncharacteristically good. Maybe it has something to do with it.

Q. She's not getting it back?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I don't want to, but I hadn't planned on giving it back. Now if she reads my interview, it will be a problem (smiling).

Q. Did you have any problems from your knee? If not, what did you do after the last game to make sure it was good for today?

RAFAEL NADAL: I tried my best, no? I take antiinflammatories. I did a lot of treatment with the physio, with the doctor.

Today it was better. I didn't feel pain today, but, you know, you never know. It's there, but wasn't the problem today. Hopefully gonna be fine for the next day, too.

Q. Prior to the match, it was announced that you were fined $2,000. What is your reaction to that?

RAFAEL NADAL: What's that?

Q. After the coaching accusation with your uncle from the last match, you were fined $2,000.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah.

Q. What are your thoughts about that penalty?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, that's the rules are the rules. I gonna speak with the person that I ‑‑ well, I already spoke with the person that I had to spoke. Nothing to say here.

Q. You've done very well on grass this year so far. Why is that? What is it about your game that helps you on this surface?

NA LI: I think I do pretty good every year (laughter).

I think my game was like ‑ how you say ‑ easy can win the grass court because I was play more fast and baseline, yeah.

Q. What have you done well this week and last week and in Birmingham, do you think?

NA LI: After I win in Birmingham, I was feeling more confident, more positive thinking on the grass court. But because my coach didn't come to Birmingham, so after I meet him, he was like, Just forget Birmingham. This much different tournament.

So every time, he always talk like. Every time he talk like, Forget, forget, forget that one. I was like, Okay. I couldn't forget. I played five rounds of match, win tournament. How I can forget that? But he always like, Forget. This is much different game.

Q. How is your confidence just now?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: My confidence, I feel confident. I know I can beat everybody. So I will play my game. I will try to play, you know, relaxed and be offensive and that's it.

Q. What has made the difference this year with you feeling comfortable on grass?

JO‑WILFRIED TSONGA: For me, there is not a lot of different than the other years. Maybe I have more experience, so maybe I'm better.

But I don't feel a lot of difference than last year and everything. But last year I change racquet just before the tournament, so it was tough for me. So this year it's better because I play with my racquet since some months now, and it's good.

Q. Can you talk about facing [Serena's] serve. She's so tough to break.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, she served extremely well, some of the best she served against me. And, yeah, I think today that was really the difference.

You know, I had a few looks at her serve. But, uhm, you know, I think even when you had a good look and the ball's coming at you in the 120s, it's pretty tough to do much with it.

But, uhm, yeah, I thought it was an all‑right performance.

Q. That's a lot of pressure on your service games.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, it does. And I think ‑‑ I mean, that's certainly how she wins a majority of her matches. By serving so well, it makes you think that you really need to hold on to your service games. You know, I did a good job of that. But, you know, just not enough.

You know, I was going for it when I had my opportunities. Just fell a little short.

Q. Could you tell us more about your stomach discomfort in the third set.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, it's just it. You know, it's just the stomach discomfort. I didn't really get a lot of oxygen because I had that. You know, when you don't get a lot of oxygen, your muscles get a bit tired, and you get slower and slower.

I wasn't feeling really great at that third set. But then the doctor helped me out and everything was well in the fourth.

Q. Was it a muscle problem?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, it was just the stomach, yeah.

Q. Is it the heat, you think, that brought it on?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. Maybe. A lot of side factors, I guess. I just overcomed it and right now I feel good, so that's the important thing.

Q. Lleyton was asked, Could you tell there was anything wrong with him in that third set, and he said, I don't know, he's always got something. What's your reaction to that?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody has an opinion. I don't know why the people think that I'm always having something, which is absolutely wrong because I haven't asked for medical or physio timeout for a long time.

I mean, any time I ask, you know, somebody has to say something. So I don't really care. You know, whatever.

Q. When are you planning to shave?

ANDY MURRAY: I have no idea. I haven't really thought about it, to be honest.

Q. Seems to be working for your tennis. Might you keep it on till the end of the tournament?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, maybe. Yeah, might keep it on till the end of the tournament. If I wake up tomorrow and feel like shaving, then I'll do it, just like I'm sure you do (smiling).

Q. What does it mean to have the two ladies in your box?

ANDY MURRAY: The two ladies?

Q. Yes.

ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, yeah, I like having obviously my mum around. Both my parents are here, my grandparents, my aunt and uncle are here, obviously my girlfriend. I mean, I love having my family around. I love having friends around.

Yeah, it just makes you feel more at home, more comfortable. When you're on the court, it doesn't make as much of a difference. It's more off it, just having your friends and family around. It's really nice. The rest of the year you don't really get that.

Q. Was it important to get back together with Kim?

ANDY MURRAY: I don't really want to go into that. It's been a lot longer than everybody thinks we've been back together. But I like having my girlfriend around. I like having my, yeah, family around. That's it. [Drats!]

[Photo(s): Getty Images]