Say what?! US Open day nine best quotes

After some hard-fought quarterfinal matches, the stars had plenty to say in their post-match press conferences…

“I’m not into the whole best-match thing. It’s about winning the match you’re in. Doesn’t matter whether you’re playing well or not playing well. It’s about figuring out how to win. If you’re out there thinking you have to play your best match every time, you’re not going to win these events. That’s too much of a high expectation.”
The always wise Venus Williams on her approach

“It took a while to accept some limitations. But it doesn’t mean that the glass is half empty. I saw it as half full. Whatever I had, I had to do the best I could with that and to be the strongest that I could and be reprehensible for each and every shot that I hit.”
Venus Williams on coping with her auto-immune illness

“What can I say? I feel very tired right now. Of course, as a loser, it’s more tiring than as a winner.”
Petra Kvitova on how she was feeling after her three-set loss

“Playing well in this age, after so many years, it’s amazing. I cannot imagine myself playing 37, but she likes it and she has the motivation. I think it’s a great thing to have for her, and I just wish her luck in the end of the career, and I think that she can have so many titles still.”
Petra Kvitova is not planning a career as long as Venus Williams

RELATED: Venus beats Petra in epic

“It was incredible. I couldn’t hear, like, anything. It was so loud in there. But I think that’s what tennis players play for.”
American hope Sloane Stephens on the crowd support

“It’s incredible, amazing. Like I said before, if someone would have told me when I started at Wimbledon that I’d be in the semifinals or making, well, three semifinals back to back, I would have said they’re crazy.”
Sloane Stephens reflects on her comeback progress

“There is not anything bad you can say about Venus. I’m just honoured to be able to play at the same time as her. I’m happy she’s still playing. She means a lot to the game.”
Sloane Stephens on semifinal opponent Venus Williams

“If anyone ever asks anything… (fly interruption.) Okay. That was so disgusting. Wow. Sorry. What was the question?”
Sloane Stephens as a fly interrupted her press conference

RELATED: Sloane storms into semifinals

“Yeah, but it’s normal. I mean, it’s the third set. You play for semifinals of US Open (smiling). I’m not a robot. Sorry.”
Anastasija Sevastova on whether she was nervous in the final set of her quarterfinal

“It was a great tournament for me. I can’t deny it. Of course it hurts now, but yeah, in a couple of days it’s going to be okay. I’m going to live (smiling).”
Anastasija Sevastova on whether she would take positives from her quarterfinal loss

“It’s tough to explain. You’re, like, alone and everybody is screaming. Also during rallies, during crazy points. Yeah, it’s crazy. All the cameras, like the Spidercam moving around you. It’s an experience you never forget, I think, in your life.”
Anastasija Sevastova on the experience of playing on Arthur Ashe Stadium

“As a small girl I was also playing a lot of dropshots because I was too small and I couldn’t do anything else. So I think it’s coming from there, yeah. A dropshot country.”
Anastasija Sevastova talks about her dropshot skills

Gallery: Day nine in photos

“When you have this draw, you have to do your best to take advantage, so I think that is a really good tournament for me. I know that I didn’t win matches against top players, Top 10 or Top 20 players, but I am very happy with my tournament.”
Pablo Carreno Busta reflects on his semifinal run

“Maybe it’s just easier when, in your country, Rafa has all the attention and you are very without this pressure, no? I don’t know. Sometimes is good; sometimes is not good (smiling).”
Pablo Carreno Busta on being in the shadow of compatriot Rafael Nadal

“I think I am improving a lot, and always the confidence, it’s coming when you do this kind of tournaments.”
Diego Schwartzman can take positives from his first Grand Slam quarterfinal run