Sports QuoteBook: Mats Wilander, Sam Stosur, Kevin Pietersen Et Al

Mats Wilander, Shahid Afridi, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Samantha Stosur headline this edition of "What They Said, Really Meant and Definitely Did Not".

Wiilander is skeptical of Caroline Wozniacki's worth as the No. 1 women's player in the world.

Stosur is merely a grunter, not a loud one, says she.

Pietersen proffers advice to Graeme Swann regarding life stories—too late.

Cook has clusters on his mind.

And Afridi returns unretired.

Mats Wilander Pegs Caroline Wozniacki as ‘Mentally Deficient’ at the Slams

What he said:

“She’s certainly not the best player in the world at her best, but at her worst she’s probably the best player in the world compared to the others."

Seven-time major winner and former Numero Uno Mats Wilander questions Caroline Wozniacki’s pedigree despite her finishing No.1 two years in succession.

The Dane has yet to win a major falling short every time in her Grand Slam aspirations.

Wilander said:

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"The thing is we know she can win small tournaments, what we don’t know is if mentally she can win the big ones. We know Wozniacki has the head to be consistent but we don’t know if she’s got the head to wrap her thoughts around winning a Grand Slam. Her game is not there just yet."

"

Wilander said he feels that Wozniacki is clueless at the majors because she cannot access on-court coaching.

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"To be honest, the mistake that she is doing is that she is getting different treatment on the WTA tour than she does at the Grand Slams because of the on-court coaching. You have to look at the obvious reasons I’m not in favor of it for her because she seems lost compared to when she’s getting coached."

"

Consistency, rather than brilliance, is the reason for Wozniacki’s ascendancy, says Wilander:

“The ranking is the result of not necessarily being the best player in the world, it’s the result of being the most consistent player in the world. That’s what it reflects.”

Wilander questioned Wozniacki’s commitment to winning Slams:

"Her range is very narrow, very even. But is she playing to be the No. 1 in the world, to win lots of matches and make a lot of money or is she playing to win grand slams. I guess you’ll have to ask her that."

Wilander believes that Czech Petra Kvitova has the weapons and the temperament to dethrone the Dane of Polish origin:

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"Absolutely. Kvitova is going to be inconsistent because of the way she plays but mentally she is very consistent. She always looks for a way out and looks to come forward and be aggressive, she is happy to go to the net and make her opponents miss.

She is very natural in figuring out what she needs to do with her game. Unlike Caroline she’s already proved she can raise her game to win a slam."

"

What Mats Wilander really meant:

“The best of Ms. Wozniacki does not quite match the best of the likes of Li Na, Samantha Stosur, Serena Williams, Petra Kvitova or Vera Zvonareva. Her worst, however, is better than their worst. The pendulum swings more in their case.”

What Mats Wilander definitely didn’t:

“How about Ms. Wozniacki  endorsing ‘Cruise Control’?”

Samantha Stosur Is the Lesser Offender When It Comes to Grunting

What she said:

“I make noise when I hit the ball as well.  It’s just not so screechy.  So nobody really says anything about it.”

Australian tennis star, Samantha Stosur, admits that she’s a grunter as well.

Her statement came in the wake of No.1 Caroline Wozniacki’s remark that some players use the sounds to their advantage.

What she really meant:

“Grunting’s OK. Screeching, screaming and shrieking’s not.”

What she definitely didn’t:

“Just call me ‘Shre(e)k’”.

Kevin Pietersen Says ‘No Bio’ on Graeme Swann’s Cricketing Career

What he said:

“I still do not agree to anyone writing a book in the middle of his career.”

English cricketer Kevin Pietersen makes his moments count.

After guiding Graeme Swann’s T20 side to its only victory on Indian soil in the return series, the South-African born player communicated his views about the off-spinners autobiography.

Swann criticised Pietersen’s leadership in his book, saying he should never have skippered the English side.

What he really meant:

“The chapter named Kevin Pietersen is not yet closed.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Maybe, cricketers should take a cue from the Don (Bradman) and pen one right at the outset.”

Alastair Cook Clusters His Excuses

What he said:

“We know you can lose wickets in clusters and we seem to have lost 10 there in a cluster.”

Alastair Cook cannae explain how his team lost their way in a run-chase against Team India in Kolkatta.

England were 129 for no loss chasing India’s 271 for eight only to collapse to 176 all out.

The loss completed a 5-0 rout at the hands of the current World Champions.

What he really meant:

“We got hit by a series of cluster bombs. Our term for them—spinners.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Humpty Dumpty and his men had a great fall.”

Shahid Afridi Will Retire One Final Time—When He Does

What he said:

“The next time I retire will be the last time.”

Shahid Afridi is unequivocal that when he next retires, it will be final.

The former Pakistani skipper had quit representing Pakistan conditionally following differences with former PCB President Ijaz Butt and then coach Waqar Younis.

Afridi said:

“I stopped playing because of Butt. He has gone now and I am back. I am fit and want to play. The next time I retire will be the last time.”

On the changes in the PCB’s composition:

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The new chairman’s impressive. He’s run a lot of companies, so he knows how to manage people and I hope it will be a good change. Butt was poor during his tenure. If you look at the things that happened, it’s clear he didn’t do a good job. I think he needs to have some rest – he is in his seventies – he is an old man.

"

Zaka Ashraf is the new PCB chairman.

What he really meant:

“Next time, the one after that, and the one after—they’ll all be final, conditionally.”

What he definitely didn’t:

“Tomorrow never comes and Butt never goes.”