Wordplay: Davis Cup Quotes, Tweets

Quotes, tweets, quips and blips from the Davis Cup weekend that was...

By Chris Oddo

(February 4, 2013) -- In the wake of a wild Davis Cup weekend that featured the longest match in the history of the competition and the second longest match in tennis history, we bring you a collection of some of the best quotes and tweets from the past three days:

“As much as you try to treat it like any other match, it's quite different.” – Milos Raonic, after his tie-clinching win over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez on Sunday.

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"I did feel a lot of pressure. Especially in that first set. I knew that Lukasz (Kubot) was injured and I couldn’t let Slovenia equalise the score as we just didn’t have anybody prepared for the 5th match." – Jerzy Janowicz, on feeling the Davis Cup butterflies this weekend during Poland's victory over Slovenia in Zone Group play.

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Inquiring minds will certainly find out over the course of the year...

What will Stan Wawrinka gain from those matches. Experience ? Wisdom ? Confidence ? Will he improve from those losses ?
— Patrick Mouratoglou (@pmouratoglou) February 2, 2013

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“Not the match. I never played tennis that long.” – Tomas Berdych, on playing the longest Davis Cup match in history against the Swiss.

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Fifth-set tiebreaker? If so, then when? 9-9? 12-12?

In all seriousness, given prevailing conditions and physicality of tennis, we need a serious look at wisdom of advantage sets in slams, DC
— Neil Harman (@NeilHarmanTimes) February 2, 2013

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“I think we have a game that kind of bothers them a little bit – that could be the only explanation.” Bruno Soares,after defeating Mike and Bob Bryan with his partner Marcelo Melo on Saturday to keep Brazil from being eliminated.

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Davis Cup tends to bring out a lot of pride and passion in the players, and it was evident from Lukas Lacko's comments about Martin Klizan's absence from this weekend's tie against the Ukraine, that Lacko felt Klizan should be showing a little more team spirit.

I got echo that Klizan did not pull out from Zagreb ... More to say? Looks crystal clear now.
— Lukas Lacko (@lukilacko) February 1, 2013

To be honest, I accept his decision not to play and reasons. But why telling lies? Scared of media and reputation? To be "injured" is ...
— Lukas Lacko (@lukilacko) February 1, 2013

... more acceptable for people and supporters than truth. This is bothering me.
— Lukas Lacko (@lukilacko) February 1, 2013

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“I hope Del Potro reconsiders his decision, but it's up to him. The team has open doors for him.” -- Martin Jaite, Argentine's Davis Cup Captain discussing Juan Martin Del Potro's decision to skip Davis Cup this year to train for the ATP tour.

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“It's difficult, but we can make it.” -- Julien Benneteau,discussing France's next daunting Davis Cup challenge, a quarterfinal tie at Argentina in April. France owns a 5-0 record against Argentina, but they've only played once since 1982.

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“Davis Cup, it's not about the rankings, it's only about playing for your country.” – Andrey Golubev, speaking about the success of Kazakhstan at home in Davis Cup play, where they have defeated Switzerland and Austria in recent years.

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“Here, in front of the Italian public, he showed that he's really a great player.” – and exuberant Corrado Barazzutti praising Fabio Fognini after he clinched Italy's first World Group victory in fifteen years against Croatia with his win over Ivan Dodig.

(Photo Credit: Reuters)