RICKY COMPILES A LIST OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING QUOTES FROM THE BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS FOR 10SBALLS TENNIS

Written by: Staff on 21st November 2016

RICKY COMPILES A LIST OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING QUOTES FROM THE BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS FOR 10SBALLS TENNIS

Britain's Andy Murray following his win over Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's singles final at the ATP World Tour finals tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 20 November 2016. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

By Ricky Dimon

The 2016 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals are over, and it is safe to say they provided plenty of entertainment both on and off the court. Andy Murray captured the title, finished the year world No. 1….and delivered some gems in the press room. He wasn’t alone in the latter department.

Here is Ricky’s list of the tournament’s best quotes, in chronologic order from the start of the week to the finish.

Novak Djokovic, after being asked about the possibility of throwing his racket and hitting someone: “You guys are unbelievable.”

Djokovic, after being told it could be serious if the ball he hit into the stands had hit someone: “It could have been, yes. It could have snowed in O2 Arena, as well, but it didn’t.”

Bruno Soares, after he and Jamie Murray were asked a question, referring to the fact that Murray had been the only one answering throughout the press conference: “Go ahead, you’re doing great.”

Jamie Murray, when asked if food was served to him at Buckingham Palace: “I just assumed it was like one piece for each person. You know, couples don’t sit next to each other. At the end of the meal, I went to my wife, I said, ‘I think I’m going to need to get some more food.’ She says, ‘Why didn’t you take what you wanted?’ The two guys she was sitting next to were like piling it in. They were a bit more experienced, I think, in these affairs.”

Gael Monfils, after losing to Milos Raonic 6-3, 6-4: “I was really happy to lose with just a break in each set.”

Raonic, on if he is annoyed that he keeps being asked about injuries: “I care that I get hurt. I don’t care if anybody asks me about it. If you guys want to ask me about injuries that I don’t have, I’m happy with that. But if I have the injuries, I’m more pissed off about that than talking about something imaginary.”

Nishikori, on his following at home in Japan–especially at the Japan Open: “We get crazy.”

Marin Cilic, when asked whose shorts were worse: his this year or Stan Wawrinka’s last year: “Next question. It’s for some fashion gurus to decide.”

Soares, again after he and Jamie were asked a question, referring to the fact that Jamie had been the only one answering throughout the press conference: “You’re doing a great job.”

Soares, after Jamie said that he wrote something in Brazilian on the camera and didn’t know what it meant: “Vamos is ‘let’s go.'”

Jamie on Bob and Mike Bryan: “They are the greatest team ever. I mean, there’s no kind of disputing that. If we want to be the best, we got to beat the best. I mean, they basically have been doubles for the last 10, 12 years. They’ve carried our sport. They’ve done so many great things for it, promoting doubles, getting on TV. People were able to see doubles more, see these guys. They bring so much to the court every time they step on it. They always have a great energy about them. They’re great players themselves. It’s always fun to watch them because they’re always involved in great rallies, their reflexes are amazing, (and) defense skills are so good. I think we all hope they keep playing as long as they can, as long as they’re motivated for it, because it’s a great plus for us to have them on the tour.”

Raonic, on if he could have beaten Djokovic or should have beaten Djokovic: “If I should have won it, I probably would have.”

Djokovic, after beating Raonic: “I’m not very pleased to drop my serve twice against Milos.”

Nishikori, on the crowd while he played against Murray: “I think in France (it) gets more crazy. But here, very nice crowd.”

Murray, on fist-pumping after he lost points during his match against Nishikori: “I was becoming like sarcastic with myself. I was definitely being more sarcastic towards myself than usual.”

Murray, on being an animal lover but endorsing Under Armour–which has ties to hunting: “I do love animals. Don’t want animals getting killed unnecessarily for fun. I don’t agree with that.”

Photo by Francisco Resendiz

Cilic, after already being eliminated from semifinal contention as a result of his loss to Wawrinka: “I don’t know the mathematical calculations to go to the semis or not.”

Djokovic, on what would be more surprising–his loss to Juan Martin Del Potro at the Olympics, or coming back to regain the No. 1 ranking: “To me, that wouldn’t be a surprise.”

Djokovic, who lost his first match at the Olympics to Del Potro: “I think certain events like Olympic Games should have this (round-robin) format.”

David Goffin, joking with British journalists when asked who he thinks has the edge for No. 1 between Murray and Djokovic: “I would say Andy, for sure.”

Goffin, after losing to Djokovic: “Yesterday I was feeling a little bit on holiday, and all of a sudden somebody tells you, ‘You have to play in front of 15,000 people against Novak.’ It’s not easy.”

Jamie Murray, on David Beckham being in attendance: “Whatever.”

Raonic, on whose idea it was for the top eight players to do the mannequin challenge: “The fantastic staff of the ATP media had a unique idea that they never saw anywhere else and they thought, ‘we have eight players here, maybe we should start a new trend.'”

Andy: Singles world No.1 Jamie: World No.1 doubles team (with Bruno Soares) After Andy Murray’s win, he and Jamie Murray are the first brothers ever to simultaneously occupy top spot in singles and doubles – Photo by Wimbledon via Facebook.

Murray, on who was better at sports between him and Jamie when they were growing up: “Jamie is a really good golfer. He was better at that. Football, probably me. Then like squash and table tennis, more of the racquet sports, was pretty close between the two of us really. Well, that’s my recollection of it. He might say something a bit different.”

Wawrinka, on why he has struggled at Masters 1000 events: “I don’t have the answer now. If I have the answer, I would have changed already and I would play better in Masters 1000.”

Wawrinka, on his slump after winning the U.S. Open: “I think tennis is tough emotionally. It’s a rollercoaster during the year for your brain.”

Wawrinka, on breaking rackets: “I don’t really think too much how I’m going to break the racket. I think the only thing I want is if I break it, I break it properly–and I let everything go out.”

Raonic, when asked if his semifinal against Raonic was the best match he’s ever played: “The best match I’ve ever competed, yes.”

Raonic, on Murray becoming No. 1 but without having beaten Djokovic during the second half of the season: “Regardless or not if they play tomorrow, obviously Andy’s still the best player in the world of 2016. There’s no question about it.”

Murray, on where his semifinal against Raonic ranks among all the matches he has played: “I think for drama, I think it was pretty dramatic.”

Britain’s Andy Murray returns the ball against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their men’s singles final match at the ATP World Tour finals tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 20 November 2016. EPA/WILL OLIVER

Murray, on if he can enjoy a match like the one he had against Raonic while it’s going on: “It’s not that easy to enjoy matches whilst you’re actually playing them. I’m not also hating matches whilst I’m playing them, either. I don’t know…. I’m not disliking it when I’m out there, and I’m not really, really enjoying it. I’m just competing.”

Djokovic, on going way back with Murray and now battling him for the No. 1 ranking: “Seems like a movie story scenario. It’s a script. It’s a long story. A romance I’ll call it…. Bromance–let’s be correct.”

Henri Kontinen, on how he and John Peers decided to partner up for 2016: “I got a WhatsApp message–the application–from this guy. Thought about it for like 12 seconds, and then said yes.”

Kontinen, when Peers was asked why he picked Kontinen to be his partner: “That’s a good question.”

Peers, on why picked Kontinen to be his partner: “I needed more advice on how to style my hair because I really struggle with that.”

Djokovic, when asked about 2017: “We should all let Andy enjoy this a little bit. Don’t ask him questions about next season. He deserves to be in the moment and to really take everything in what he achieved. His team, as well, and his wife. She has to get some credit, guys. She gave birth this year. He has traveled all over the place. I know how it is with my wife, Jelena, what she had to go through as a mother back home with a little baby. So, Kim, well done. She’s maybe made even a bigger effort than Andy.”

Murray, on Djokovic: “Regardless of what some of you may think, we have a good relationship.”

Murray, on where the party is: “I think tomorrow with the team, we’ll definitely go out for dinner…. Then see afterwards what happens.”

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Editors Note: Novak used to love the media. Isn’t he the guy that always brought the box of chocolates… When he was asked about a racket hitting a spectator question and got testy… really… The Queen’s Club tourney a few years back and Nalbandian getting booted out for hitting a lines person…

And no manufacturer appreciates seeing their shirts ripped off. Novak’s been doing that a lot lately too.

And yes I was the editor that called it for Andy in two sets. Andy didn’t have 3 sets in him. But he was mentally stronger. He should have mixed up some serve and volley after Novak finally got dialed in. But he chose to continue to slug it out and still pulled off the championships in straight sets. (LJ)

click to enlarge

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, ATP Finals, Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, Bruno Soares, Bryan Brothers, David Goffin, Doubles tennis, Gael Monfils, Henri Kontinen, Jamie Murray, John Peers, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic, milos raonic, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis, tennis quotes, World Tour Finals

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