After winning her first match at the WTA Masters in Cancun, Belarusian world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka said she did not feel safe in the ephemeral stadium built for the occasion.
“I have to say that I am very disappointed with the WTA, and with my experience so far at the WTA Finals. As a player, I feel like the WTA disrespects me. I think most players do too. The organization is not at the level expected for the Masters. To be honest, I don’t feel safe at the idea of having to play on this court for a long time. I really want to salute the tournament organizers, everyone who built this court at the last minute and everyone who works around this event. I know it’s not their fault.”
While he had just lost to Cameron Norrie in the first round at Porte d’Auteuil, the Avignon player seemed lost when faced with a question from one of the journalists at a press conference.
“Benoît, pity…”, his interlocutor first blurted out, immediately cut off in his tracks. “Congratulations for what? I’ve lost (Congratulations on what? I lost),” retorted the player who had not heard the question clearly. “I said commiseration, sorry,” said the journalist, wishing to express a feeling of compassion after this defeat. “Pffff, I don’t understand anything, what does that mean?”, asked the 149th ATP player, visibly confused, to a member of the organization next to him. “Good, ok, ok, ok”, continued Paire before continuing the game of questions and answers with great availability despite his elimination.
Also readRoland-Garros: “Commissioner? I don’t understand anything, what does that mean?”, Paire’s amusing reaction to a journalist’s question
Guest of the show C à vous, Novak Djokovic spoke of Rafael Nadal, this rival who has had such a profound impact on his career (30 victories-29 defeats since 2006): “I hope that after our career, with Rafael Nadal, we “We can have a drink on the beach and talk about life with less stress.”
Winner of Holger Rune during the 3rd round of the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells (6-2, 6-7, 7-5), veteran Stan Wawrinka, 37, clearly did not appreciate the behavior of his young opponent .
“There’s not much to say there. The only thing I can add is that he is a young player, a very great champion already with enormous potential. But he made a reputation in the locker room that he will regret one day.
In tears at a press conference, after a defeat in the third round of the WTA 1000 in Rome by world 100 Camila Osori, the Lyonnaise did not hide her dismay at the lack of results. “I make the effort, I feel like I’m doing things well and I want to go all the way. Except that, when I arrive on the court, everything I did well, I no longer do. After a while, I would like to know why, at least be able to control it and change it.”
Using a white marker, Serbian Novak Djokovic wrote five words in Cyrillic letters on the lens of one of the cameras on the Philippe-Chatrier court and drew what looks like a heart, after winning the first round of Roland-Garros (6-3, 6-2, 7-6), Monday May 29. Two sentences that could be translated as “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia!” Stop the violence. »
In the preamble to the Masters 1000 in Miami, Stefanos Tsitsipas explained that the quality of the balls on the circuit would have caused his shoulder injury.
“I think the biggest problem on the tour this year is the constant changing of balls. We talk about it among players. The balls should remain the same in most tournaments, especially on hard courts. It benefits us all and protects us from injury. Earlier this year, other players noticed that the balls put a lot of strain on the shoulders, wrists and arm in general. I think that’s where my injury came from,” he said during a press conference at the Miami tournament.
Marta Kostyuk, 28th player in the WTA rankings, is very critical of the response, too soft for her taste, given by world tennis authorities to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Someone like Aryna, has traveled all over the world, has a very large community of people who support her. And there are many platforms, media, like the Washington Post or CNN, which are read or followed by billions of people around the world… [She pauses] But she rejects her responsibility. I can’t respect that! She said I hated her. I have never said publicly or privately, or to anyone, that I hate Aryna Sabalenka, or any player, but I don’t respect her because of the position she takes.