Best–and worst–quotes from Indian Wells

There were plenty of notable quotes at the BNP Paribas Open, some that even made major news in the sports world. Here is a recap of the sound bytes–in chronological order–from Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and many more.

Novak Djokovic, on how he feels now after retiring from a Dubai match last month because of an eye injury: ” Well, I’m just glad I don’t wear sunglasses while talking to you guys.”

Djokovic, on if he looks at the list of substances that are banned: “I believe in long-term balance and harmonious health and well-being that is achieved. I wouldn’t say that there is a magic potion or elixir that can make you feel better.”

Alexander Zverev, on a report that he had taken Meldonium: “I have absolutely no idea what Meldonium is.”

Simona Halep, on where she sees herself in two or three years: “Playing tennis.”

Damien Dumusois, after giving Nick Kyrgios a point penalty for an audible obscenity: “Nick, you knew we were strict on the f-words.”

Kyrgios, on Bernard Tomic accusing him of faking illness to avoid playing in Davis Cup: “I’m just a bit disappointed.”

Juan Martin Del Potro, on if he can sustain a career like Steffi Graf by hitting only slice backhands: “Maybe I must call her.”

Christina McHale, on what advice she would give to her younger self: “Huh? I wasn’t expecting such profound questions.”

Victoria Azarenka, on what she saw when she re-watched her Australian Open loss to Angelique Kerber: “It was my match to win.”

Genie Bouchard, on the Maria Sharapova situation: “To think of your childhood idol and wonder if it was a lie, it really affected me a lot.”

Milos Raonic, when John Isner said he is 6’10” and a half: “With stilettos?”

Bob Bryan, after beating Rafael Nadal in the doubles first round: “Nadal, he never takes a point off whether it’s singles or doubles. You have to respect the guy for that. From the coin toss he’s bouncing around and he’s ready to go.”

Bob Bryan, on Nadal: “Doesn’t matter if he’s playing mixed doubles or brushing his teeth, people are coming to watch.”

Kei Nishikori, on winning four Memphis titles in a row: “I have to say there was no top 10 or top 20 players this year, so it wasn’t really tough year.”

Nicole Gibbs, after winning her third-round match against Yaroslava Shvedova: “I was serving well, which is unusual for me.”

Gibbs, on if a lot of upsets opened up the women’s draw: “I don’t think I would call a tour with Serena Williams on it wide open.”

Serena Williams, on if she could imagine being a mom while also on the tour: ” I have had time off where I could have had a little ‘Rena running around. Baby ‘Rena. She’d have been fun. She would like tacos and everything.”

Petra Kvitova, on if she would consider hiring a female coach: “I didn’t really think about the female.”

John Isner, after setting the tour-level record with a 157 MPH serve during the Davis Cup first round: “I keep setting these weird records.”

Rafael Nadal, on the French sports minister accusing him of doping: “I gonna sue her, and I gonna sue everyone who gonna comment something similar in the future.”

Bouchard, on her conversations with Wayne Gretzky: “I kind of just try to absorb every word he says and take it like it’s coming from God almost. Because in our country, that’s what he is.”

Bouchard, when asked to take either Roger Federer in tennis or Gretzky in hockey: “It’s an unanswerable question.”

Agnieszka Radwanska, on how the cheesecake in her life has been recently: “Very good. I had a Snickers one last time.”

Stan Wawrinka, after losing to David Goffin in the fourth round: “Was a match without brain.”

Raonic, on the Wawrinka-Goffin match: “It was a little bit all over the place.”

Zverev, after losing to Nadal in the fourth round: “On match point I sucked, so that was it.”

Nadal, when asked if chair umpires should be more lenient on time violations after long points: “You like this sport?”

Daria Kasatkina, on her support of FC Barcelona: “For sure yesterday I was watching Champions League against Arsenal. 3-1 (Fist pump).”

Kasatkina, on players who have inspired her: “I like to watch men’s tennis. I like to watch Rafael Nadal because he’s my favorite player. I don’t like to watch women’s tennis, because it’s always strange…because they are playing not so good like men’s, and it’s better to watch men’s.”

Azarenka, on doing Cam Newton’s dab after she wins even though she loves Peyton Manning: “I’m a fan of many people. I mean, Peyton Manning doesn’t do anything after he wins. He just wins and collects trophies.”

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, on who was/is the most talented between Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic: “I think talent is subjective. I can say that in English? Subjective.”

Goffin, after losing to Raonic in three sets: “I think in the second I was just better than him.”

Nadal, when asked if he is frustrated by his losing streak against Djokovic: “So everybody frustrated?”

Coco Vandeweghe, on how her partnership with Bethanie Mattek-Sands came about: “She hunted me down.”

Vandeweghe, on the big crowd that stayed for the women’s doubles final: “It’s not like we are not fun to watch.”

Pierre-Hugues Herbert, on his partnership with Nicolas Mahut: “The history of our team is that a few years ago…[Mahut] was always having an eye on me since four or five years. I played him the first time in the final in a Challenger and I kick your ass, yes?”

Raymond Moore, the Indian Wells CEO: “If I was a lady player, I’d go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport.”

Serena Williams, on Moore’s comments: “If you read the transcript you can only interpret it one way. I speak very good English. I’m sure he does, too. I just feel like in order to make a comment you have to have history and you have to have facts and you have to know things. You have to know of everything…. I feel like that is such a disservice to her and every female, not only a female athlete but every woman on this planet that has ever tried to stand up for what they believed in and being proud to be a woman.”

Azarenka, on Moore’s comments: “My thing is I don’t understand any man comments in general towards women, because as simple as that, every single person on earth was brought and was born by a woman, right?”

Djokovic, on Moore’s comments: “I have tremendous respect for what women in global sport are doing and achieving. It’s knowing what they have to go through with their bodies; and their bodies are much different than men’s bodies. They have to go through a lot of different things that we don’t have to go through. You know, the hormones and different stuff, we don’t need to go into details. Ladies know what I’m talking about.”