French Open Quotes

Once the US Open is over in the States, mainstream America doesn't really follow tennis, unless you are a true tennis fan.

To say that I won the French Open, it's something completely crazy.

I don't think it's a low point being in the finals of the French Open, three points away from the victory.

Once I caught my dad in front of the TV watching a tennis match, and I realized they were tricking us. Poor guy, he had to sneak in a tennis final - probably the French Open.

I'm at the French Open right now and enjoyable as that is, it's only really Wimbledon that I miss from when I played elite tennis. I love that place so much, it's so special. That's when I say, yeah, I wish I was out there again. But then the moment passes.

It was different when I was young, aged 20, playing the French Open. I didn't have so much experience. I just played tennis because I loved the game.

I still rate my first victory in the French Open at Roland Garros as my best win ever.

I was a big fan of Pete Sampras.

I never thought I could win the French Open.

I think the French Open, in many ways, brought out a certain characteristic in me and in my game that was already there. Just the circumstances allowed for it to be able to show.

For me, at the French Open, if I wasn't playing my match I was glued to CNN watching the events unfold.

When I come to London, it is always quite relaxing for me in a way, not just because it is one of my favourite cities but because it comes immediately after the French Open, which for me is a very significant tournament with lots of pressure.

The conditions change so much at the French Open, you know, you have to be prepared for something you really don't know what it is. You can practice in the morning and it's fine, and the weather is great then you come to play in the afternoon and it is drizzly and the conditions are totally different.

I was winning everything in Paris. I was there for two years and won all the titles in France. I had a great life, great credibility with the club... I had everything.

At Wimbledon if it is slightly wet you don't even play the match. At the French Open you need to just get on with it and somehow adjust.

When you win a big title like the French Open, it's tough. The emotion in doing this is really up and down. Afterwards, you feel a little bit lonely, a bit of depression mentally. Because it's so much stress and emotion, so many people around - and then it's completely empty.

I lost in the second round of the French Open and had 10 days off. I went to the Hard Rock Cafe. It was exciting to be away from my parents, to stay in a hotel. Hotels at 17 meant freedom.

I was like, 'Did I win Roland Garros? What happened?'

Any quality player can adjust well to the different demands. It is like a good tennis player who is expected to adjust to the clay at the French Open, the grass at Wimbledon, the hard courts of the U.S. and the heat of the Australian Open. A professional is expected to do all that.

When you're a kid and practice on clay, you're always, 'Oh, I wish I could win Roland Garros.'

Roland Garros is the only one of the four majors that is 15 days, and that is too long.

And the '99 finals at the French - if I had won that one easily, no one would have talked about it.

I think when you're younger and you're watching people play on TV, you always say that you want to be at the French Open - you want to be playing Grand Slams. But then actually being there doing it, it kind of blows you away thinking, Wow, I actually used to think maybe I could do that one day, and now I'm actually doing it.

Just because you win the French Open it doesn't mean you can do well at Wimbledon.

I didn't do anything special after the French Open, after winning the tournament. I just had a nice dinner with my team and family, but I was so exhausted that I went to sleep early and couldn't stay up.