The best quotes from the 2019 Australian Open

Each year in Melbourne, the pros find verbal ways of staking their claims and naming names Down Under. Oftentimes, the season's major premiere sets the tone for the year at hand after one or two months of holiday layoff, and players can seem rather unbridled at times. Maybe their media training atrophies a bit even while they stay shapely in that sneeze-and-you-miss-it offseason.

Either way, here are the top quotes, for better and lesser, from the 2019 Australian Open:

1

Maria Sharapova, after defeating Harriet Dart via double bagel: "There's no time for empathy, I'm sorry to say, when you’re playing in the first round of a Grand Slam. There’s no doubt that my level wasn't where I wanted it to be, but she was there to take the match. So I'm not so much worried about my opponent, but I have to step up when the time is right and when I need to."

2

Kei Nishikori on the vanquished Ivo Karlovic's knack for smacking aces:

3

Frances Tiafoe, on Amanda Anisimova's victory over Aryna Sabalenka: "It’s like she’s been a veteran. She’s going out here, and Sabalenka is playing great tennis – she routined her like it was nothing. It was barbecue chicken for her. It’s unbelievable.”

4

Roger Federer, in short, after Johanna Konta took issue with late start versus Garbine Muguruza, who beat her (their match ended at 3:15 a.m.): "It's just what we do."

5

Novak Djokovic good-naturedly faux-bristled at a certain label:

6

Teenage up-and-comer Dayana Yastremska, on her statement-making victories:

7

Anisimova, after taking a drubbing from Petra Kvitova: "I got a tennis lesson today, but at least it was from one of the best in the world ..."

8

Taylor Fritz, after taking his own drubbing, that from Federer: "Yes, a real lesson. I’m going to be better because of this match, I’ll tell you that."

9

Serena Williams, after downing an emotional Yastremska, who was a bit whelmed by the occasion: "When I was young I played against so many people like Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis and Monica Seles ... everyone I faced was in the hall of fame. Every match was intimidating and not easy but you just go out and do the best you can."

10

10

Simona Halep, noting her No. 1 status but terming Serena, who would defeat her a day later, the best in the biz:

11

Danielle Collins, on her rise in the ranks and grabbing her first four major singles victories: "I may not have won a Grand Slam match before this tournament, but I gotta tell you I think it’s going to keep on happening. I hope to have many more of these."

12

Tiafoe, on setting up himself and his family for success:

13

Stefanos Tsitsipas, upon upending Federer in one of the event's premier upsets: "I am the happiest man on earth right now. I cannot describe it."

14

Nadal, on the young guns on tour potentially needing to wait their turn: "But looks that they don’t want to wait. They are there, no?"

15

Serena, as to why she dropped four match points in losing to Karolina Pliskova: "I can’t say that I choked on those match points. She literally played her best tennis ever on those shots, so I can’t really say that it’s incredible painful as opposed to, 'What can I do better?'"

16

Kvitova on her comeback from the knife attack and hand injury that nearly ended her career:

17

After seizing his first Grand Slam title, Rajeev Ram shared a lesson in patience for his mixed-doubles final foes:

18

Kristina Mladenovic, defending champion, after dropping the women's doubles final to homegrown hope Samantha Stosu and Zhang Shaui: "You guys definitely are in a good mood right now. That was not our goal."

19

Naomi Osaka, on possibly becoming the face of a nation:

20

Now–seven-time Melbourne champ Djokovic on his decisive finale against Nadal, "I might have figured him out for the match, but not for life. ... This rivalry has been the most significant rivalry, the one that impacted me on a personal and professional level the most."

And with that, the tennis season turns toward the tournaments leading up to Miami and Indian Wells' Sunshine Double and then the clay-court season that will crescendo with the year's literally dirtiest major – one where, among more fascinating storylines, Nadal will seek to force Djokovic's momentum to the ground.

Follow Jon on Twitter @jonscott9.

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