Wimbledon and a world title fight dominate this weeks sports and journalism quotes from IAN COLE. Plus The takeover of BSkyB, women jockeys, David Cameron’s backhand, and a spat between England cricket captains past and present
“You can’t talk about a match that goes almost three hours as being decided on one point. I was going for it. Against Rafa you have to go for big shots. I slightly overhit that one” Andy Murray, a beaten semi-finallist at Wimbledon for a third year, denies that at one set up, and 2-1 up in the second set, a missed shot turned the match.
“I believe I’m the hardest hitting heavyweight on the planet and he’ll learn that real early, real fast” David Haye before Saturday’s world title fight.
“Now I’m looking forward to our time in the ring; just me and him inside those four corners. And I can tell him now it will be such small place for such a bigger soccer stadium” Wladimir Klitschko talks up the heavyweight world title bout in Hamburg.
“In the world of the top-class heavyweight David Haye looked a small man with unrealistically big ambitions. The old laws of power, size, reach and bulk exposed him as a promoted cruiserweight whose twitchy counterattacking style was no match for the lesser of the Klitschko brothers” Paul Hayward‘s summary of the world heavyweight title fight for The Observer.
“There was no way I was going to pull out of this fight. But I was unable to push off my foot to shoot off my right hand and that’s why I feel it didn’t allow me to throw big, powerful punches. That’s boxing. You don’t get it your own way all the time. I’m gutted” Haye blames a broken toe for under-performing in the ring.
“You have a broken toe? I would give David some advice – don’t say anything right now, like you have a broken toe and couldn’t compete. You’ll be called a sore loser. It won’t look good” Klitschko sounds like a winner outside the ring as well.
“He was an inspirational sports editor and loved sport. He had a sense of humour and viewed sport for what it was – an entertainment and a pastime” Sir Michael Parkinson, the SJA President, pays tribute to David Welch, the former Daily Telegraph sports editor and long-time SJA committee member who died last week, aged 63.
“This seedy bid would shame a banana republic” Tom Watson MP, speaking in the House of Commons after Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt ended an eight-month wait to permit Ruper Murdoch’s News Corporation to buy the 61 per cent of satellite broadcaster BSkyB it does not already own.
“My foot is not fine, but we are in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon. It’s an emergency so I had to play. I have pain and I cannot run without putting the foot to sleep. The anaesthetic lasts five hours and I feel nothing” Rafa Nadal, Wimbledon defending champion.
“You can beat him by playing patient. When I’ve beaten him in the past, at the US Open and the Australian Open, I played a little bit more patient. Today I maybe got the balance a little bit wrong” Murray‘s further reflections on defeat to Nadal.
“It wasn’t a shocker, a second round loss in straight sets or some stupid match. It was a great match from both sides. I really did play well and Jo played an amazing match. There’s no reason to look too far ahead but I think I can definitely win another Grand Slam title” Roger Federer after his quarter-final defeat to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
“Yeah, I’m super happy I lost. Go, women’s tennis” Serena Williams, outgoing Wimbledon champion, on being asked if it was a good thing for women’s tennis both she and sister Venus lost on the same day.
“I don’t really care what people think or say or do. I did my best and it wasn’t good enough” Caroline Wozniacki, world No1 and still yet to win a Major, loses in Wimbledon’s fourth round.
“The road you sometimes have to take is not always straight. There are a lot of zig-zags and a lot of the time you feel like it’s a dead end. You have to turn around” Maria Sharapova, all Cantona-esque as she shows Wimbledon she is close to her best following injury.
“When I was a kid and I was very weak I needed that little extra power to hit the ball over the net. I think that became part of my breathing and movement. Your body is a machine, right? It makes noises. I have to exhale to hit the shot. I don’t want to annoy anybody. It’s natural. I do it in tournaments, I do it in practice” Victoria Azarenka tries to explain her excruciating screams when hitting the ball.
“David’s a good player; he’s tenacious, he chases down every ball and he never lets the ball bounce twice” Andrew Castle, the BBC tennis commentator, on the skills of Prime Minister David Cameron.
“Bobby Zamora is fit but, of course, he is not completely fit” Martin Jol, the new manager at Fulham, where football returned last week in summertime European qualifiers.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m in a zoo when I walk out to the paddock… ‘awwhh look, it’s a girl one'” Hayley Turner, via @Hayleyturner123 on Twitter, on life as a woman jockey.
“I wouldn’t go over there just to show up. I’d go over there to win the tournament, so I would need to get my body ready. I’ve played in pain before and I’ve played injured and I’ve been very successful at it. There have been a number of years when I’ve been hurt more than people could possibly understand and I’ve played and I’ve won” Tiger Woods suggests his aching body will not allow him to compete in the Open at St George’s.
“It doesn’t matter what people think. I know I can score runs quickly. I’ve hit a one-day hundred for England and I know I can do it again” Alastair Cook, described by former England captain and Times sports writer Michael Atherton as a “plodder” and “donkey” in one-day international terms, responds by captaining England to a 110-run victory over Sri Lanka.
“I don’t agree with an ex-England captain sticking the knife in so soon, before Cook’s had a chance to do the job” Michael Vaughan, another former England captain in the press box, speaking on Radio 5.
“This is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to me in my career. I am ashamed to have let myself get into this situation and I am determined to put things right” Mike Phillips, Wales scrum-half, issues an apology as his ban for being involved in a late night incident is lifted.
“Growing up my dream was to run for Great Britain. Ofili-Porter’s dream would have been to run for America. But she wasn’t quite good enough. So she came over here and took somebody’s place instead. It upsets me, because we encouraged her. I was really proud of my record, 15 years and still going. Then it was gone. When I heard who had taken it I felt absolutely distraught” Angie Thorp, whose British 100 metres hurdles record was beaten by Tiffany Ofili-Porter, born and resident in Michigan, but who has a British mother.
“We are proud defenders of the beauty of the game. It’s not just a question of winning, but winning with a certain flair. I expect to be successful, on a weekly basis. I’d be surprised to be kept on if I don’t win” Andre Villas-Boas, 33, arrives as manager of Chelsea.
“Look at me, I feel good. I feel strong and when I see guys out there who are smaller than me I start thinking I can come back and knock out most of them. Then I talk myself out of it” Lennox Lewis, 45, former world heavyweight champion, is tormented watching the build up to Haye-Klitschko.
UPCOMING SJA DATES
- Thu July 14: SJA Sporting lunch with Charles van Commenee, head coach of UK Athletics, one year ahead of the London Olympics. For booking details click here.
- Mon Sep 12: SJA Autumn Golf Day, Muswell Hill GC. Click here for more details and to book yourself in for the day.
- Wed Dec 7: SJA 2011 British Sports Awards – Booking now open. For more details, click here.
All details subject to alteration. Keep checking sportsjournalists.co.uk for updates