K. CLIJSTERS/S. Stosur
6-3, 7-5


Q. What can you tell us about your next opponent? Heard of her? (Laughter.)
KIM CLIJSTERS: Hi. No, the last match we played against each other was in Brisbane. I think to me, that was one of the funnest matches, most exciting matches I think that I've played my career.
So hopefully we can both play the same kind of match level and intensity. I think that's something that I think, you know, you love I mean, I love playing matches like this.
I think Justine and myself, we had a great time out there in that Brisbane final. We'll see tomorrow who's better on the day.
I'm gonna try to hopefully raise my game a little bit more, because I know that I have to play some of my best tennis if I want to beat her, and to be very consistent throughout it all.
Yeah, it's exciting to be just, you know, what is it, the third or fourth tournament of the year and to be in another semifinal against her.

Q. Nice to have Justine back?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah, it is. It think it's always fun to especially with her story as well after being off for that long just to see the two comebacks doing well.

Q. Do you like her?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah, I do.


Q. She was saying that now that you're both in different stages of life, that maybe you can appreciate each other more.
KIM CLIJSTERS: I've always had a lot of respect for Justine. I think she's a player who she's definitely one of the most professional players out there. She works extremely hard to get to where she is. She is a huge talent. I think I can learn a lot from her.
And especially when we get to the clay court, the way that she moves and stuff, it's something that I think I can only dream of.
But, um, you know, she's yeah, obviously I have different things, different strengths than she has. So I think that's where we're both you know, we're completely different players.
But I think now that we're older, I think that we, yeah, we laugh at the whole you know, it's fun to be back and just to see us doing well again.

Q. Stosur has one the best serves on the tour, and her kick serve is especially good. Were you surprised how well you returned against her?
KIM CLIJSTERS: The thing is, I mean, I know when I play against Sam I know that that's her serve, so you kind of can prepare yourself for it. I felt today

Q. You haven't played since 2007. So there was really nothing that different?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Um, she's definitely improved a lot. I think she used to be a little bit more her strongest you know, when I played her in the past when she was playing at her best, I think she still has that, but I think she was a little bit more consistent in the past.
I think especially at really important matches and important moments in matches I think she would make a few more easier mistakes. You know, I felt that she's really worked a lot on the serve, and then the next shot. I think she's really good at that.
I think if you can't get it wide enough to her backhand she's really aggressive with that forehand. She puts a lot spin on there, so it's tough to get out of it once she's putting pressure on you. Once you're into that rally, you can't really get out of her forehand.
So I was really trying to make sure that from the return I was trying to go into that backhand. When I felt that I could really go down the line or just open it up in the forehand, like trying to stay aggressive and trying not to let her dominate most of the points.

Q. Speaking of forehands, obviously Justine is always known for that gorgeous backhand. Seems like she's beefed up her forehand. Did you notice that in Brisbane?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I think Justine has always had a good forehand. I think sometimes it was maybe a little overshadowed by her backhand because everybody talks about her backhand.
It's a great shot, but I think her forehand is definitely you know, I mean, you don't have a weakness when you have her career, you know, obviously. So she's definitely, yeah, a lot more she's, over the years I mean, and I'm not just talking about since she's been back.
I think she's definitely improved her strength and become a more of an aggressive player.

Q. She's kind of got you in the slams a little bit. Do you feel like owe her?
KIM CLIJSTERS: No, I don't.

Q. She was saying that she is enjoying everything more now: the tennis and everything that goes around it. Do you see that just from the time you've seen her around here, that she just seems a little happier, looser, enjoying?
KIM CLIJSTERS: To be honest, I probably I don't spend as much time as I used to at the courts, because now I'm more, you know, get my stuff done and get out of here.
So I don't see a lot players unless they're at the same hotel or I see them at breakfast once in a while. It's not that I'm hanging around just to go and watch some of my friends play. So that's the difference.
It's not that I'm seeing a lot of players when they're hanging out, unless we have to do some tournament things together.
But that's probably the biggest difference since my first career. Whenever I'm done now, I'm out of here. So let's hurry up.

Q. Jada was here tonight, right?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah.


(via Sony Ericsson Open, photo/Reuters Pictures)

Watch the new Nike commercial "The Secret Behind Nike Air" featuring Maria Sharapova. It's really funny!

Watch the interview with Justine Henin after her quarter-final win over Caroline Wozniacki at the Sony Ericsson Open.

A. RODDICK/N. Almagro
6-3, 6-3


Q. Just ten unforced errors. Are you surprised when you hear such a low number?
ANDY RODDICK: I mean, yes and no. I felt like I played pretty clean today. Also, he's a guy who takes lots of risk himself. So, you know, you can keep it low because he's the one kind of trying to hit the lines and being the aggressor.
So I played within the margins today, and hit it well.

Q. Were you especially pleased the way you rallied and weren't tempted to go for winners as early in the rally as perhaps in days and years gone by you might have been tempted to?
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, maybe. Like I said, he likes to go for that, and I felt like I could hit a pretty firm ball and have him if I was having him play pretty high risk off of either a ball that was hit pretty firm, deep and/or had the direction switched on it, that he was gonna light up the stat board with winners and unforced errors.
So that's kind of the way I approached it.


Q. It looked like he had some trouble returning your serves at times. Did it feel better today?
ANDY RODDICK: No, it's pretty much the way my serve goes. Sometimes. I didn't have a lot of aces, but any time I'm up around 70% or so first serves in, I feel like I like my chances of holding more often than not.

Q. Any preference for the next round?
ANDY RODDICK: Players? Schedule?

Q. Yeah, players.
ANDY RODDICK: Okay. Um, no. I mean, they're both playing well and playing tough. Rafa is Rafa, and Tsonga has been rolling over guys this week playing really well.
So like everyone, I think I'm looking forward to seeing that one.

Q. Were you watching tennis at 12:15 this morning, by chance?
ANDY RODDICK: I was not. I was sleeping at 12:15 this morning.

Q. What was your reaction to Roger's loss?
ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. You know, I don't know if there was a visual reaction. I think Roger broke the first game of the match and I turned it off.
And, you know, they tell you he lost, obviously you're surprised any time he loses. But that's tennis. That's why you play 'em.

Q. I know you said that you weren't particularly pleased with the way you played or the results in Memphis and the other event you played this year. But in terms of this hardcourt swing, how much in tune with your game do you feel at the moment, and what good of level have you reached in the last three weeks or so?
ANDY RODDICK: I feel pretty good. You know, I feel like I'm you know, sometimes when you're not playing well and I alluded to this the other day everything feels a little bit forced.
When play a lot of the matches and kind of play a high level, it feels like everything kind of slows down a little bit. Muscle memory takes over a little bit more, and things kind of just happen. So I think I'm at that stage right now.
Unfortunately with tennis you have to start every day and it's a new one. You're playing well, but you still have to go out and do it every day.

Q. South Florida is a hotbed for youth tennis. You received some instruction here as well. Can you talk about why this environment helps breed that so much?
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, there's a lot of reasons, obviously the weather being probably the first one. You can play and train year round.
Secondly, the abundance of junior tennis training facilities from here up to Bollettieri's. Not only for training, but it makes -- a local weekend tournament and you're getting an influx of foreign players, local players. Obviously competition breeds success a lot of times.
You know, obviously there's a strong South American influence, I think, in the South Florida area. So, again, you're getting more players, and it's kind of become a pretty strong training area for players from South America, too.
I don't think it's a secret why. I think there are a lot of reasons.

Q. Do you still have the feeling this is home tournament for you, or not so much anymore?
ANDY RODDICK: I think so. You know, we don't really live anywhere for long every year. (Laughter.) We're talking about a handful full weeks every year.
You know, it still doesn't change the fact that living in Texas doesn't change the fact that I was here in, what was it, '93 when it opened.
I was one of the hundreds of juniors they brought in. Played junior Davis Cup here and Orange Bowl here and had my first match win here and my first win on ESPN here.
So there are a lot of memories that I don't think go away because your postal address is different.

Q. I assume you still have a house in Boca. How much time are you in Texas, and I know you have the place in New York.
ANDY RODDICK: I'm not in New York, much. When Brooke and I have time off at the same time, we're normally in Texas. When I'm traveling and she has work, she's normally in New York.
So obviously if I fly in and out and I'm through New York, you stay for a couple days here and there.
Training base is in Austin.

Q. What sort of influence do you think you then have on America youth tennis?
ANDY RODDICK: Do I have?

Q. Yeah.
ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. That would require me to look at myself objectively, and I'm a little biased in my opinion of myself.

Q. Does Billie Jean travel with you is one question, and then tradition says that paper is the first anniversary gift.
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, we were talking about it the other day. Stupid paper. What do you, buy stationary?

Q. You're not gonna get away with that, are you?
ANDY RODDICK: No, we had like the conversation like we don't need gifts, and now I don't know if that's code for, You better get me a gift.

Q. Yes. I can tell you that.
ANDY RODDICK: Yes?

Q. Oh, yes. I'm helping you out.
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah? Well, shit. (Laughter.)

Q. Stationary is pretty reasonable.
ANDY RODDICK: I mean, I would feel guilty if I gave my wife stationery. Not to ruin guys everywhere who gave stationery, but what am I gonna get, her name? She knows her name.

Q. Paper. You know, paper.
ANDY RODDICK: Oh, yeah. Money? No, she better give me money. She's had a better year professionally than I have.
What was the other question?

Q. Billie Jean travel with you?
ANDY RODDICK: Sometimes. She was is out in Indian Wells for the whole thing, but now she's Brooke's out in L.A. working, so she's with her. She kind of cruises around from place to place and normally is happy wherever that is.

Q. Does she fit underneath when you're on a...
ANDY RODDICK: No. You know, we've had to keep up her self esteem, because the airlines have deemed her too fat to fit on a plane. So we have to constantly shower her with love and build up that self esteem and tell her she's beautiful.

Q. It's working?
ANDY RODDICK: Some days are better than others.


(via Sony Ericsson Open, photo/Getty Images)

R. NADAL/J. TSONGA
6-3, 6-2


Q. Were you checking the soccer about Barcelona?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I saw the match. I saw the match, yeah.

Q. How did to feel out there tonight?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, it's amazing going on court with this atmosphere. Full court. Crowd was always very emotional here.
It's very, very I'm very happy to play at this level tonight against very difficult opponent like Jo.
It's very important victory for me. I'm very happy for that.

Q. Look ahead to Andy. You guys played quite a few times?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, you know, when you play against Andy always is a big challenge. His serve, and he's a very good competitor. He's a winner. Gonna be very tough match, no? I think I have to play my best tennis to try to win.
That's what I gonna try, and I think being in semifinals another time is very good new for me. Sure, right now remains a little bit more, and gonna try my best to win this title?

Q. Ian Tiriac said this week that he doesn't understand why you don't play Madrid. The tournament will continue to be a great tournament without you. What's your opinion?
RAFAEL NADAL: Ian Tiriac probably doesn't know if I play Madrid, or not because it's in my schedule, so...


Q. When you take a decision if you played Madrid or not?
RAFAEL NADAL: I play Madrid. I told you before. I said Madrid is in my schedule. Probably or Ian Tiriac don't know about my schedule, or you understand bad from him.

Q. Does playing Andy seem more like a final than a semifinal?
RAFAEL NADAL: A final? Looks like semifinal. Semifinal. You know, we're in semifinals here.
Every match is difficult. No one anticipate final in this tournament. It's very difficult tournament; and the matches are difficult.
You know, the other side of the draw is still very hard, too. It's a semifinal. It's a very difficult semifinal. I think it's a good semifinal against two of the best players of the world.



(via Sony Ericsson Open, photo/Getty Images)

Watch highlights of Wednesday's quarter-final action from Sony Ericsson Open featuring Roddick, Nadal, Tsonga and Almagro.

THURSDAY, APRIL 1


STADIUM start 1:00 PM
[13] M Bartoli (FRA) vs [3] V Williams (USA) - WTA

Not Before 3:00 PM
[16] T Berdych (CZE) vs [10] F Verdasco (ESP) - ATP
Almagro/Robredo vs [3]Dlouhy/Paes

Starting at 7:00 PM
[13] M Youzhny (RUS) vs [5] R Soderling (SWE) - ATP

Not Before 9:00 PM
[14] K Clijsters (BEL) vs [WC] J Henin (BEL) - WTA

COURT 2 Not before 4:30 pm
Clement/Tsonga vs. [4]Bhupathi/Mirnyi

Wednesday, 31 March 2010

Men's Singles - Quarter-finals
[4] R Nadal (ESP) d [8] J Tsonga (FRA) 63 62
[6] A Roddick (USA) d [33] N Almagro (ESP) 63 63

Women's Singles - Quarter-finals
[WC] J Henin (BEL) d [2] C Wozniacki (DEN) 67(5) 63 64
[14] K Clijsters (BEL) d [9] S Stosur (AUS) 63 75

Men's Doubles - Quarter-finals
[8] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) d [2] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) 62 62
[3] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) d B Becker (GER) / M Kohlmann (GER) 64 64
N Almagro (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) d F Lopez (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) 75 63

Women's Doubles - Quarter-finals
Y Chan (TPE) / J Zheng (CHN) d [8] E Makarova (RUS) / S Peng (CHN) 63 62