French Open - View from the courts: Day eight

All the reaction from the big names on the eighth day of the French Open at Roland Garros.

Four-times defending champion Rafael Nadal after his shock fourth round exit, his first ever loss at the tournament: "It's not a tragedy. I had to lose one day. I have to accept with the same calm when I win than when I lose. After four years, I lose here, and the season continues. Sure, he did well. He did very well but I didn't play my best tennis. I didn't play my tennis, and for that reason I lose. That's it. I was not calm enough to face the important points, so I had to fight. But sometimes fighting is not enough. You have to play a good level of tennis. Sometimes people think I win because I'm physically fit, but, no. When I win, it's because I play well, and that wasn't the case today."

Swedish 23rd seed Robin Soderling is awaiting Bjorn Borg's congratulations after dumping world number one Nadal out of the tournament: "I'm expecting a SMS. I'm not going to call him (Borg). Hopefully he will call me. That would be great. I told myself this is just another match; all the time, I was trying to play as if it was a training session. I had to believe that I had a chance, otherwise there's no meaning going on the court; I could just go home instead. I couldn't even dream of this before the match, so I will remember this match for the rest of my life. If he thinks he played bad, that's his choice. I think I can beat anyone, but in a bad day, I can lose to a lot of players, as well."

World number three Andy Murray after dispatching 13th seed Marin Cilic in straight sets to reach the last eight: "I'm playing well. You don't reach the French Open quarter-finals without playing well. I've had a good clay-court season. I reached the quarters in Monte Carlo and Madrid and now the last eight here. It's better than previous years but I will try to keep on improving."

World number one Dinara Safina after she moved into the quarter-finals having only dropped just five games in the tournament: "Honestly, I still feel I can do much better. I think that if somebody would push me more I still can get much more out of myself. Overall, I think I can serve much harder still. I think I'm playing good enough but I still feel like I can do better. I would like just to go out and there and just same: play point by point, game by game, and show my best tennis."

Slovakia's 20th seed Dominika Cibulkova progresses to her first Grand Slam quarter-final after a beating Hungary's Agnes Szavay: "It was difficult because we were both nervous at the beginning and it was a case of not making mistakes. But I prepared well for this game and knew how she would play. I have nothing to lose from now on in. I was injured before Roland Garros and didn't play the big tournament so I was a bit afraid. But now it's amazing."

Chilean 12th seed Fernando Gonzalez reveals the bizarre circumstances in which he sustained an injury in the lead up to the French Open: "I was signing autographs after one of the matches in Rome (earlier this month). They called me from the other side of the court, and I went running and twisted my ankle. I went back to the locker room because it was really painful. That's how it happened. It was curious. Let's call it curious."

Ninth seed Victoria Azarenka is indifferent to the crowd favouring her fourth round opponent Ana Ivanovic: "It was expected because she was the champion but I hope they will be a little more for me now. It's the first time I have made the quarter-finals (of a Grand Slam) and it's a big step for me. It will be tough against Safina because she has lost only one match on clay this year and has been killing people, but I will be ready."

Defending champion Ivanovic after her lacklustre performance against Azarenka: "I started really well and felt good but after the third point of the fourth game I started to feel dizzy and lost my balance. It was really hard after that."