Day 6, and the beginning of third-round action at the Australian Open. Who said what in the press conferences today?
Aryna Sabalenka fought through a tough match with Clara Tauson, speaking about how she feels the love from the Australian crowd.
"Well, definitely the atmosphere helps me a lot here. I'd say that I gained my people here throughout the years. Now every time I'm out there, I really feel all the support. It's amazing. "That's why probably I'm so motivated every time I'm out there," the two-time winner said.
Awaiting Sabalenka in the fourth-round is Mirra Andreeva, who didn’t seem all that impressed about another meeting.
"Honestly, I'm so tired to play against her. I played her four or five times already. So it's a lot. So what can I say? Here we are again."
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Paula Bodosa was asked about a situation where it looked like she was having an on-court argument with her boyfriend, Stefanos Tsitsipas.
"Well, first of all, it wasn't with Stefanos. It was with my coach. I'm always interacting with my coach, honestly," the Spaniard explained.
"I was talking to them, especially to my coach, because it was very windy, and he was asking me maybe to do some things that I totally get it, but in that moment, I couldn't do it as well."
Carlos Alcaraz was asked what advice he might give the young brigade coming up.
"I mean, I'm just two years older than them," he laughed.
Alexander Zverev is going to take part in the South American swing for the first time, and was asked why.
"Last year I took one month off after Australia and played in Mexico. Then I lost all my form. Basically, I had two off-seasons," he said.
"I didn't want to do this this year. I wanted to play some tournaments, and I thought that was perfect, just to try something different. I have never been there. I wanted to go there. I wanted to see how it is."
Despite having to retire with an ab strain after just one set against Belinda Bencic, Naomi Osaka remains upbeat about her form.
"I also feel like the positives [are] why I'm negative, because I feel like if I could have served, then I could have potentially won, and I could have maybe gone far in the tournament," said the two-time champion at Melbourne Park.
"It's kind of hard just to stay in the moment sometimes in regards to getting injured, because obviously I was in the final in Auckland, too, and it sucks, because I also think I could have maybe won that tournament, and it could have been my first tournament win back."
"I do have to see it as I think I played really well today regardless of the fact that I was injured."
Belinda Bencic is finding some form after coming back from maternity leave, explaining there was no issue with dropping back to the ITF level to begin her comeback.
"I kind of enjoy it. It's very low-key. There is no circus around anything. It's just nice. It's just the tennis court. You play a match, and you go back to the hotel. It's cool," said the former world No.4
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is clearly feeling good about being in the round of 16 after clawing his way from a two-set deficit not once, but twice.
"I'm very happy at the end, two matches in a row coming back from two sets down. Then the feeling that I never give up and fight in every point, every game, it's like it give me a lot of confidence and a lot of strength to continue for the next round."
Coco Gauff certainly isn’t getting ahead of herself after her straight-sets win over former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez.
"I think I have learned that just the trophy is so far away. It's almost as distant as it probably feels when you are a junior trying to play this tournament, to be honest, how I would say," she said.
"I have the belief and that's my goal, but I think for me, the best mindset is to treat it as it being so far away. Because if I think it's closer, I just feel like even in the finals, I played two Grand Slam finals, and it still felt like so far away."
Novak Djokovic had plenty to say after his straight-sets win. Firstly, about Danielle Collins' reaction last night.
"I loved her response. I loved it, everything she said on the court, off the court," he admitted.
"Big fan of Danielle Collins after that. I was before, but now, big fan. I love it. I think she was funny, smart, and just big fan of what she did. Big fan."
He also alluded to the fact that tennis needs to be more entertaining.
"I think that we should try to look to connect more with the younger people and bring them. I want to see a little bit more entertainment. For example, why wouldn't we consider doing something between the sets like the Super Bowl or, I don't know, the NBA, right?"
"When there is a timeout, they have dancers come in and this and that. I wouldn't have [a] problem with that. Nice dancers, you know, there for a few minutes more break so I can relax my nerves and think about something else."
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