The China Mail - Who said what: French Open day 10

"It was a big match and probably would make more sense to put us a little bit later just so more people could watch it. But at the same time, I'm happy to finish earlier and then I have a half day off and I can just enjoy the city and do all the things that I have to do.

"I definitely have to say that, yeah, we deserve the equal treatment... There was a lot of, like, great battles, a lot of great matches, which would be cool to see as, like, night session, just more people in the stands watching these incredible battles. And just to show ourselves to more people."

-- World number one Aryna Sabalenka weighs in on the debate about lunch-time crowds on Court Philippe Chatrier and scheduling more women's matches later in the day at Roland Garros.

"I think everything started when I just came to her and asked to do a TikTok in that Finals in Riyadh. Since that, we were, like, 'Okay, maybe we can communicate, we can be good to each other, we can practice sometimes'."

-- Sabalenka on becoming closer with rival and semi-final opponent Iga Swiatek.

"The ultimate goal is to win a Grand Slam, to be at the top of WTA ranking, but you know, I try to take it step by step, try to take my time. It's important for me to just sometimes sit and realise how much I've done, how much work I've done.

"You know, coming back from pregnancy, it's not an easy task already, so sometimes I just want to sit, to relax, to tap myself on the shoulder and say: 'Okay, you are in a good spot, you are doing well. There is not so many people who have done that before, and you are on a good path. So just continue working and continue doing your thing, and good things are coming your way'."

-- Defeated quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina, 30, on her tennis ambitions since returning to the tour after becoming a mother.

"It was, I could close my eyes and everything went in, my feeling today was amazing. Today was one of those matches where everything went in, I'm just pleased with everything."

-- Five-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz impressed even himself with his performance in the night session against a helpless Tommy Paul.

"I think I never played in such a wind. In first set it was fine, but in second set it got pretty crazy. Like honestly, when I played against the wind, or she (Svitolina) did, we just had to, like, stop for a second because there was so much clay in the air that you couldn't keep your eyes open."

-- Swiatek overcame gusty conditions in Paris to seal her quarter-final win with back-to-back aces.

"Honestly it was really unlucky coincidence. Yeah, I was a little bit, honestly, scared, because I really didn't want to harm nobody, of course. So I immediately went to the line umpire, and I of course said, 'Sorry', I apologise to everyone. It was right to have a warning, but I think the umpire saw that there was no intention about that, and that's why probably just, you know, let me continue my game."

-- Semi-finalist Lorenzo Musetti came close to seeing his last-eight meeting with Frances Tiafoe cut short after he kicked a tennis ball, which ended up hitting a line judge.

F.Jackson--ThChM