In their words...

Before they were inducted Saturday evening, the members of the Class of 2019 spoke at an afternoon press conference and answered questions about their Hall of Fame careers.

On the final Grand Slam match of her career, a third-round loss to Li Na at the 2006 US Open:

“I very clearly remember that match. I won the first set 6-4 … things were going OK, and I lost the second set 6-love and thought, ‘What is happening?’ I didn’t know Li Na before and I was like, ‘Who is this player from China?’ She played amazing … I lost the third set 6-love and I came off the court and I was like, ‘I can’t believe I just lost to this player.’ I thought that was a bad loss for me, and now look where we are today, both being inducted into the Hall of Fame together.”

On what advice she would give to female athletes who are struggling with confidence:

“I think we all struggle with that in life, no matter what we do. ‘Am I good enough? Am I going to make it?’ Those are questions that we don’t always have the answers to, and I think the only thing we can do is surround ourselves with good people — the right people — and then also to have that confidence to know that if you work hard, all you can do is give 100 percent of yourself. You can’t do any more than that.”

On winning the 2000 French Open singles title after battling injuries:

“It was my dream in tennis to hopefully one day play the French Open — as a young girl watching it on TV — and then to actually win it was my dream come true. That was the fuel that motivated me through those difficult moments that I had in my career: be it ups and downs in results, or injuries and having to come back and really work hard and sometimes feeling like I’m starting all over again to get back in shape. I think what helped me the most is my dream. I always reminded myself, ‘Why am I playing?’ and ‘What I’m doing this for?’ I knew in my heart that there were still great things to accomplish and that I wasn’t finished.”

On his 4-2 record against Roger Federer, which includes victories on three different surfaces:

“Roger was very young when we played against each other. I was very mature, I was winning majors already. Roger was just 19 years old, a kid. I remember Roger very well. He wasn’t as good at the time as he is right now, but to have 4-2 (record) against Roger is big.”

On being the most recent male player to win the singles and doubles titles at a Grand Slam (1996 French Open):

“You have no idea how difficult it is to play singles and doubles at a Grand Slam, and to win (both), I still don’t understand how I did it. It’s still a mystery to me that none of the top players are giving themselves a chance to do that. I know it’s going to be done again sooner rather than later, but I’m very proud that I have done that.”

On moving on from professional tennis:

“What I struggle with, in the back of our mind, we think that we’re still athletes even though I retired 16 years ago. To see on the TV a tennis match played by the greatest players — like Federer, Djokovic, Nadal — I almost feel like, ‘I wish I could turn back time and give myself a chance to be on the court with those guys.’ I think that’s the hardest part. We are getting older, but I wish I could turn the clock and be in front of the wonderful, 15,000-people crowd and give 100 percent like I always did.”

On the future of tennis in China:

“Especially right now, you can see after the US Open, there are a lot of tournaments in China. I think it’s very good for the athletes, the fans and tennis’ future. In 5 to 10 years, maybe, I wish there would be another Grand Slam champion.”

On finding out that 116 million people in China watched her French Open final in 2011 and her influence on the popularity of the sport in her home country:

“In China, that number is not so much, right? I’m lucky I didn’t know the number before I came to the court. I think, otherwise, that would make me nervous. I’m so happy right now. Tennis in China has grown up a lot. ...I think it’s much, much better, and it will be even better in the future.”

On the impact her coaches had on her tennis career:

“I have to thank all my coaches, especially the one when I started to play tennis. … She never said I was good. This was very tough for me at the time and really (shows) how tough she was. Otherwise, I can’t imagine in the future how tough I was on the court.”