The National Times - Who said what: French Open day 6

Who said what: French Open day 6


Who said what: French Open day 6
Who said what: French Open day 6 / Photo: © AFP

Key quotes from the sixth day of the French Open at Roland Garros on Friday:

Change text size:

"Am I a good liar? Let's say it doesn't matter, really. Oh, my God. I couldn't play poker."

-- Iga Swiatek struggles to hide her relief at not having to face Jelena Ostapenko in the last 16. Ostapenko has won all six of their meetings

"I'm from Wuhan in China so I handle the hot weather quite well. I actually like these conditions, but I'd like to say thanks to all the crowd who suffered today."

-- Zheng Qinwen kept her cool on the hottest day of the tournament

"I have heard a lot saying I'm not smart enough, that I'm stupid, and I'll never make it, and I don't have anything to make it to the top. I guess I want to send a quick message to them to quit their job, because honestly, I think they know nothing."

-- World number one Aryna Sabalenka brushed aside the doubts coaches had about her in her youth

"I was in my towel, and I put my towel like this down in the box, and the guy was yelling aggressive with me. He reach out for me. I thought this was very strange, because I did not do anything against him and he should not interact with a player on the court, it's a bit embarrassing."

-- Holger Rune on the interaction that led to a spectator being removed from his match

"The players have to be respected. We are not animals. We are trained to do our best. There are some ups and downs."

-- Frenchman Quentin Halys, who lost to Rune in five sets

"Your mind drives everything. When your mind goes, sometimes your body can go too. That's the most important thing, to stay locked in. Tell yourself to keep going."

-- Tommy Paul opens up on the challenge of staying focused after coming through his second straight five-set match

"Muscle memory kicks in when it's a tight moment and you want to go for that big serve again. You have to fight those demons and hit a slower serve to change up the rhythm, especially in those tight moments."

-- Alexei Popyrin details the importance of variety and the need to resist temptation

"It changed a lot honestly. I have to say that I was pretty scared when Veronica, she got pregnant. During the pregnancy was probably the worst moment because I had so many thoughts on how it's going to be, how I could manage to be a father, to be a great father, an example, not just in the court but off the court."

-- Lorenzo Musetti speaks about adjusting to life as a father. His partner Veronica is pregnant again with their second child

"That's not what we're saying. I have to stop you right there."

-- Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo rejects the accusation that women don't deserve to play in the night session

F.Jackson--TNT

Featured

Leverkusen Suffer First Europa League Defeat to Marseille

Bayer Leverkusen have suffered their first defeat in this season's Europa League, falling 1-0 to Olympique Marseille. The result ended the German club's impressive run of three consecutive wins and a 347-minute clean sheet streak, which was broken by Amine Gouiri's strike in the 77th minute.

Union Berlin President and CEO Demand Playing Time for U19 Star Linus Güther

Union Berlin president Dirk Zingler and CEO Horst Heldt are pressing for increased first-team opportunities for 16-year-old forward Linus Güther. Despite a standout record in the U19 squad, the teenager has seen minimal action with the senior side as the club’s attack remains stagnant.

Manchester United climbs standings after 3-2 Champions League win over Roma

Manchester United and AS Roma entered their UEFA Champions League Matchday 4 meeting at Old Trafford on Tuesday with different objectives as they looked to improve their positions in the 2026-27 league-phase standings. The fixture brought together two European clubs with considerable continental history.

Italy Claims Curling Silver at European Championships in Ostrava

Italy has secured its first-ever continental curling final appearance, taking home silver at the European Championships in Ostrava. The Trentino Spiller team, featuring Amos Mosaner and Sebastiano Arman, finished second after a tight match against Scotland, marking a significant milestone for the nation's renewed curling program.

Change text size: